Thin-Film Cu–Pt(111) Near-Surface Alloys: Active Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

A simple method is presented for the formation of thin films of Cu–Pt(111) near-surface alloys (NSA). In these thin films, the solute metal (Cu) is preferentially located in the second platinum layer and protected by a Pt surface layer. The NSA-films act as active and fairly stable electrocatalysts for the reduction of oxygen with the activity and stability which approach those for bulk single crystalline Pt-alloy surfaces and ∼5 times more active than state-of-the-art Pt thin films