NiTe2-GE composite as a promoter of Pt for efficient methanol electro-oxidation.

Exploring oxophilic platinum (Pt) promoters is essential to address the significant challenges currently faced by direct methanol fuel cell technology. In this study, we developed a novel composite catalyst consisting of nickel telluride (NiTe2) and graphene (GE) supported platinum nanoparticles, which was applied to the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) for the first time. Electrochemical tests demonstrated that the electrocatalytic performance of Pt for MOR can be markedly enhanced by using NiTe2-GE as a promoter. Specifically, the peak current density of Pt/NiTe2-GE reached 103.9 mA cm-2, significantly surpassing that of Pt/NiTe2 (27.1 mA cm-2) and Pt/GE (23.9 mA cm-2) catalysts, and it was also comparable to the commercial Pt/C catalyst (58.5 mA cm-2). Furthermore, Pt/NiTe2-GE exhibited superior catalytic stability, enhanced resistance to CO poisoning, and accelerated catalytic kinetics. This work reveals an effective strategy for the design of advanced anode catalysts for MOR.