PtNiAu trimetallic nanoalloys enabled by a digestive-assisted process as highly efficient catalyst for hydrogen generation

The synergistic effect has endowed Au-contain nanohybrids outstanding catalytic performance. However, it is difficult to introduce Au into Pt-M (M=Fe, Co, Ni etc) alloys owing to the redox potential difference and the complicated thermodynamic miscibility. In this paper, a digestive-reduction combined strategy is developed to enable the successful preparation of network-like PtNiAu trimetallic nanoalloys with a single phase structure. The as-prepared products show excellent catalytic activity and long-term stability towards the hydrolysis of ammonia borane (AB). The TOF value of the Pt₅₈Ni₃₃Au₉ alloy is as high as 496. To the best of our knowledge, it is among the most active noble metal-based catalysts ever reported in this field, even close to that of MOF-supported catalyst. The prominent catalytic activity of the PtNiAu is attributed to the delicately modulated electronic interaction and accelerated charge transfer. Furthermore, the composition of the product can be readily adjusted in a quite wide range by simply regulating the feed ratio, and on a large scale, they exhibit remarkable AB hydrolytic activity. The presented strategy not only offers a new idea for the designed synthesis of multimetallic nanoalloys, but also promotes the practical development of AB as a hydrogen storage medium.