Ultrafine 1D platinum group metal-based nanostructures with advanced regulations for fuel cells electrocatalysis

Abstract Platinum group metal (PGM)-based electrocatalysts play an irreplaceable role in fuel cells electrocatalysis for sustainable energy conversion. In the past few decades, one-dimensional (1D) PGM-based nanocatalysts with the merits of ultra-high specific surface area, electronic structure modulation and highly active defect sites, have been proposed as ideal candidates for fuel cell applications. However, for ultrafine 1D PGM-based nanocatalysts, traditional researches have concentrated on the control of composition and morphology, which is difficult to further improve catalytic performance at the atomic scale. In this review, we firstly summarized the recent progresses on the advanced regulations of ultrafine 1D PGM-based nanostructures, involving high-entropy alloys, single-atom alloys, intermetallic phase, amorphous structure, core@shell construction and atomic Heterojunctions. Then, the recent advances of ultrafine 1D PGM-based nanostructures in oxygen reduction reaction, hydrogen oxygen reaction, alcohol oxidation reaction and formic acid oxidation reaction were illustrated and discussed in terms of catalytic mechanisms and critical issues. Finally, we outlined the remaining challenges and potential opportunities for the further development of ultrafine 1D PGM-based nanostructures in fuel cells electrocatalysis and beyond.