O2 activation by core–shell Ru13@Pt42 particles in comparison with Pt55 particles: a DFT study

The reaction of O₂ with a Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂ core–shell particle consisting of a Ru₁₃ core and a Pt₄₂ shell was theoretically investigated in comparison with Pt₅₅. The O₂ binding energy with Pt₅₅ is larger than that with Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂, and O–O bond cleavage occurs more easily with a smaller activation barrier (E_a) on Pt₅₅ than on Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂. Protonation to the Pt₄₂ surface followed by one-electron reduction leads to the formation of an H atom on the surface with considerable exothermicity. The H atom reacts with the adsorbed O₂ molecule to afford an OOH species with a larger E_a value on Pt₅₅ than on Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂. An OOH species is also formed by protonation of the adsorbed O₂ molecule, followed by one-electron reduction, with a large exothermicity in both Pt₅₅ and Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂. O–OH bond cleavage occurs with a smaller E_a on Pt₅₅ than on Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂. The lower reactivity of Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂ than that of Pt₅₅ on the O–O and O–OH bond cleavages arises from the presence of lower energy in the d-valence band-top and d-band center in Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂ than in Pt₅₅. The smaller E_a for OOH formation on Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂ than on Pt₅₅ arises from weaker Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂–O₂ and Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂–H bonds than the Pt₅₅–O₂ and Pt₅₅–H bonds, respectively. The low-energy d-valence band-top is responsible for the weak Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂–O and Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂–OH bonds. Thus, the low-energy d-valence band-top and d-band center are important properties of the Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂ particle.

In this theoretical study by DFT computations, characteristic features of the Ru₁₃@Pt₄₂ core–shell particle in O₂ activation are clearly discussed in comparison with Pt₅₅.