An EQCN assessment of electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol at nanostructured Au-Pt alloy nanoparticles

Alloy nanocrystals encapsulated with alkyl dithiolates ("core-shell" nanopa rticles) serve as an intriguing class of nanostructured catalysts. This pap er reports the preliminary results of all electrochemical quartz-crystal na nobalance (EQCN) investigation of mass transport associated with the cataly tic activation and methanol oxidation at nanostructured Au-Pt nanocrystals. It is demonstrated that the catalytic activation and oxidation of methanol are accompanied by mass fluxes across the nanostructured film. The mass tr ansport involves oxidation-reduction of surface oxygenated species, methano l adsorption and oxidation, solvent breath and product release. The implica tion of the EQCN results to the understanding of the core-shell nanostructu red catalytic mechanism is discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.