Nanosized Rh grown on single-walled carbon nanohorns for efficient methanol oxidation reaction

Reasonable design and controllable synthesis of non-Pt catalysts with high methanol oxidation activity are regarded as a valid way to promote the large-scale commercial applications of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Herein, we develop a convenient and cost-effective approach to the successful fabrication of nanosized Rh grown on single-walled carbon nanohorns (Rh/SWCNH) as anode catalysts for DMFCs. The unique architectural configuration endows the as-obtained hybrids with a series of intriguing structural merits, including large specific surface areas, abundant opened holes, optimized electronic structures, homogeneous Rh dispersion, and good electrical conductivity. As a consequence, the resulting Rh/SWCNH catalysts exhibit exceptional electrocatalytic properties in terms of a large electrochemically active surface area of 102.5 m2·g−1, a high mass activity of 784.0 mA·mg−1, as well as reliable long-term durability towards the methanol oxidation reaction in alkaline media, thereby holding great potential as alternatives for commercial Pt/carbon black and Pd/carbon black catalysts.Graphic abstract