Oxidative Strong Metal–Support Interaction Induced by an Amorphous TiOx Seed Layer Boosts the Electrochemical Performance and High-Temperature Durability of Pt Nanocatalysts

Nano-sized metal particles are widely used in various chemical/electrochemical fields due to their excellent catalytic activity, but they still suffer from deactivation by sintering, and this leads to serious issues regarding the price and lifespan of catalysts. In this study, we demonstrate that the introduction of nanoscale amorphous TiOx via atomic layer deposition can significantly improve the dispersion and durability of supported Pt nanocatalysts. An ultrathin TiOx layer (≪1 nm) deposited on a conductive Pr0.5Ba0.5MnO3 electrode, with a deposition time of less than 1 min, provides nucleation sites for the Pt nanocrystals impregnated thereon and promotes the migration of TiOx to the Pt surface, creating a metal-oxide interface. As a result, when applied to ceramic fuel cells, the TiOx undercoat achieves remarkable power density increases of over 100% and 400%, respectively, for wet (3% H2O) H2 and CH4 fuels without degradation at 700 °C for 120 h. These observations provide an innovative direction for the design of supported metal catalysts for high-temperature applications.