Hollow urchin-like iron-doped manganese dioxide (Fe–MnO2) architectures were successfully prepared without any template or surfactant via a facile one-step hydrothermal route. Hollow urchin-like Fe–MnO2 architectures were made up of interleaving nanosheets, resulting in porous structures and high specific surface area. The formation mechanism of hollow urchin-like Fe–MnO2 architectures was proposed based on the Ostwald ripening process. When employed as supercapacitor electrode material, hollow urchin-like Fe–MnO2 delivered a specific capacitance of 203.3 F g−1 at 250 mA g−1 as well as a good capacity retention of 88.1% after 1000 cycles at 5 A g−1. Coupled with activated carbon (AC) negative electrode, Fe–MnO2//AC asymmetric supercapacitor (Fe–MnO2//AC ASC) achieved an energy density of 20.2 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 225 W kg−1 and 83.8% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at 3 A g−1, suggesting its potential applications for energy storage.

Mesoporous metal oxides with uniform porosity are of considerable interest. Their economical production on a large scale in an efficient manner, however, remains a challenging task for commercialization. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time a scalable, economic, energy and time efficient method for the synthesis of a crystalline mesoporous CeO2 catalyst with tailored porosity, by utilizing colloidal SiO2 as a template. The size and amount of colloidal particles can tune the porosity of the CeO2 nanostructure as well as alter the heat transfer and heat balance of combustion. As-prepared CeO2 possesses uniform 22 nm pores and a 0.6 mL/g pore volume, which is the largest pore volume for CeO2 reported. The obtained mesoporous CeO2 catalyst exhibited excellent activity for soot and carbon monoxide oxidation. In principle, this method can be applied to synthesize different high-porosity crystalline oxides, and mesoporous CuO was also successfully prepared, thus demonstrating the generality of the method.

Incorporation of an ion-exchange polymer in a metal–organic framework (MOF) is an attractive strategy to achieve fast ion exchange by increasing surface area and porosity of the material. Synthesis of a cationic polyelectrolyte in a MOF is reported here for the first time. Sodium poly(4-styrenesulfonate) threaded in MIL-101 (NaPSS∼MIL-101) is synthesized directly with polymerization in situ of the MOF. NaPSS∼MIL-101 exhibits superior exchange kinetics, high selectivity with co-ion rejection, reversibility, and durability. The polyelectrolyte threaded in MOF has a larger specific volume compared to its bulk state and possesses advantageous properties. The fixed charges of the polyelectrolyte are exposed for full interaction with solvated ions and solvent, without the need of swelling or restructuring the porous framework.

High surface area mesoporous Cr2O3 nanostructures are synthesized using MIL-101(Cr) as a sacrificial template in a combustion synthesis with the octahedral shape of the MOF retained. This new synthetic approach avoids a template-removal step, can be carried out in a simple device, and is time and energy efficient for easy scale-up.

A porous metal–organic framework composite with flexible anion-exchange polymers threaded within the host cavity demonstrates very fast and reversible ion-exchange activity. Polyvinyl benzyl trimethylammonium hydroxide (PVBTAH) caged in ZIF-8 is synthesized in steps of chloro-monomer impregnation, in situ polymerization, amination, and alkaline ion exchange. The synthesized non-cross-linked PVBTAH∼ZIF-8 material exhibits superior ion-exchange kinetics compared to conventional ion-exchange resins.

•A Pd/C was found to be highly active for production of H2 from HCOOH solution.•The structural characteristics of Pd/C were investigated.•Catalyst deactivation was studied and the poisoning species were revealed.•The apparent deactivation energy was estimated and discussed.•Elementary steps were proposed and used to understand particle size effect.A commercial Pd/C catalyst was found to exhibit high activity for formic acid (HCOOH) decomposition into CO2 and H2 in aqueous solution at near ambient temperatures. The performance of the catalyst toward HCOOH decomposition in aqueous solution was investigated in a batch reactor at temperatures between 21 and 60 °C and HCOOH concentrations between 1.33 and 5.33 M. The apparent activation energy of the overall reaction for the production of H2 from aqueous HCOOH was determined to be 53.7 kJ/mol on the heterogeneous Pd/C catalyst. This is in good agreement with the previously reported theoretical energy barrier (∼52 kJ/mol) for H2 evolution on a Pd surface. Under the present experimental conditions, the catalyst lost activity continuously over time and the apparent deactivation energy was estimated to be 39.2 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the deactivated and spent catalyst was studied by temperature-programmed desorption experiments to reveal the possible species that caused the loss of the activity. Combining the results of our previous DFT calculations and the present experimental results, elementary steps of HCOOH decomposition on Pd in aqueous solution were proposed and discussed.

Hydrogen released from ammonia borane in MIL-101(Cr) can be significantly improved by the attached amino and amide groups. The release with minimum impurities starts at 68 °C, reaching 1.6 equivalent of ammonia borane at 85 °C for the amino modified MOFs (NH2-MIL-101).

PtRu nanoparticles dispersed in CMK3 mesoporous carbons have been prepared via a CPDM (carbonization over poly-furfuryl alcohol-protected dispersed mixed metals) method. The as-synthesized CMK3 supported PtRu nanoparticles are characterized using tomography and cross-sectional TEM analysis and are compared against those synthesized by the conventional ethylene glycol (EG) method. The atomic ratio of Pt:Ru, which has an essential role on methanol oxidation, is found to be consistent at the nanometer scale. The good dispersion and uniform composition of PtRu nanoparticles result in improved methanol oxidation performance including higher methanol oxidation current and long-term stability.

•PtRu surface models were built based on surface energy and formation energy.•The key points for HCOOH dehydrogenation on PtRu were investigated.•HCOOH adsorption on Bi2O3 was studied in absence/presence of water.•A reaction pathway was proposed and correlated with experimental results.•PdBiOx was investigated as catalyst for HCOOH dehydrogenation in aqueous solution.The catalytic dehydrogenation of formic acid (HCOOH) on heterogeneous catalysts in aqueous solution to produce CO-free H2 has received intense investigation due to its promising application in portable power devices. In this work, we present a study on the mechanism of HCOOH dehydrogenation on the PtRuBiOx catalyst using density functional theory (DFT) calculations supported by complementary experiments. The catalyst's activity at room temperature was clarified by investigating HCOOH dehydrogenation on PtRu alloy and Bi2O3 surface with a focus on the key reaction steps. The PtRu with different alloying degree was modeled by a four-layer p (2 × 2) unit cell with Pt-skin and leaving Ru atoms in the second and the third layer based on the surface energy and the formation energy. The Bi2O3 surface was represented by the most stable (111) surface of δ-Bi2O3. Based on the computational and experimental results, a reaction pathway for HCOOH dehydrogenation on the PtRuBiOx in aqueous solution was proposed. The results suggest that the promotion of HCOOH dissociation on the Bi2O3 surface and the ligand effect between Pt and Ru are responsible for the activity of PtRuBiOx toward HCOOH dehydrogenation in aqueous solution at room temperature. Furthermore, the PdBiOx system was also prepared and investigated as a catalyst for HCOOH decomposition at room temperature. The catalytic behavior of PdBiOx for HCOOH dehydrogenation in aqueous solution was compared with that of the PtRuBiOx.A reaction pathway for HCOOH on PtRuBiOx in aqueous solution was proposed and could be used to understand the catalyst's behaviors for HCOOH dehydrogenation in aqueous solution at room temperature..

Liquid-phase formic acid dehydrogenation using a solid carbon supported PtRuBiOx catalyst offers a promising and convenient method to produce CO-free hydrogen. In this study, the regenerability of the catalyst and the kinetics of formic acid dehydrogenation were investigated in a continuous-flow reactor. The kinetic experiments were carried out at temperatures between 300 and 333 K and formic acid concentrations ranging from 1.3 to 8.0 mol/L. It was found that an Arrhenius temperature dependence of the kinetic constant could represent the kinetics of formic acid dehydrogenation over the catalyst. The kinetics had first-order dependence for HCOO− and half-order with respect to HCOOH under the investigated conditions. The average apparent activation energy was determined to be about 38.1 kJ/mol, which is close to the previous value (37.3 kJ/mol) obtained in a batch reactor. To gain more insight into the formic acid dehydrogenation over the catalyst, two possible mechanisms with adsorption of HCOOH or HCOO− were proposed based on the experimental results and available information in literature. Two kinetic expressions were derived from the proposed reaction mechanisms. The corresponding kinetic parameters were estimated and further correlated with the apparent activation energies obtained at different formic acid concentrations.Highlights► The deactivation and regenerability of the catalyst were investigated. ► The kinetics of formic acid dehydrogenation was studied in a flow reactor. ► Two mechanisms were proposed from present results and information in literature. ► The variation in apparent activation energy with concentration was clarified.

PtRuBiOx/C catalyst has shown the promise for catalyzing CO-free hydrogen generation from formic acid in aqueous solution at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. In order to produce hydrogen at moderate-pressure to feed into a fuel cell stack, postgeneration compression is needed to overcome the flow resistance. In the present study, liquid formic acid decomposition over the PtRuBiOx/C catalyst was investigated at temperatures ranging from 80 to 140 °C and pressure up to 350 psi. It was found that the selectivity of the catalyst for formic acid decomposition remained almost 100%, and a complete conversion of formic acid could be achieved in several hours, which is significantly shorter than that at ambient conditions. The overall activation energy was also found to be 78 kJ·mol–1 under present conditions. The increase from the previously determined value of 37 kJ/mol at open atmosphere pressure was due to carbon dioxide release beyond saturation at elevated pressures. Furthermore, the stability of the catalyst was confirmed by performing a series of repeated runs.

Formic acid decomposition on noble metals is considered to be a potential method to produce CO-free hydrogen at near ambient temperatures. However, the reaction mechanism, as well as the key points, for HCOOH decomposition on noble metals in aqueous solution remains unclear at microscopic level. In the present work, we employed density functional theory (DFT) calculation to investigate HCOOH decomposition in gas and aqueous phases on four common noble metals (Pt, Pd, Rh, and Au). Based on the present theoretical calculation results and experimental results being available in literature, two reaction pathways were proposed to understand gas- and aqueous-phase HCOOH decomposition on the noble metals. The key points that determine the activities of the metals toward HCOOH decomposition into CO2 and H2 in aqueous solution are clarified. Furthermore, the proposed reaction mechanism can be well extended to interpret the excellent activity of Ag–Pd core–shell bimetallic catalyst for HCOOH decomposition in aqueous solution. It is expected the present reaction mechanisms would enable us to rationally design more active heterogeneous catalysts for HCOOH decomposition into CO-free H2 at relatively low temperatures.Graphical abstractTwo reaction pathways were derived from DFT calculations and could be used to understand gas- and aqueous-phase HCOOH decomposition on noble metals. The key points for the reaction on the noble metals were clarified. This would enable us to rationally design more active heterogeneous catalyst for HCOOH decomposition to produce CO-free H2 at near ambient temperatures.Highlights► Reaction networks of HCOOH on several noble metals were studied by DFT. ► Two reaction pathways were proposed for HCOOH decomposition on the metals. ► The proposed reaction pathways can explain the experimental results. ► The key points for HCOOH decomposition into H2 were clarified. ► The study can be used to rationally design catalysts for HCOOH decomposition.

An alternative and effective route of synthesizing mesoporous carbon supported Pt nanoparticles is introduced. In reverse order to the conventional synthetic route, carbonization occurs after dispersion of platinum. In this process, H2PtCl6 acts as a Pt source and also serves as a catalyst for the polymerization of furfuryl alcohol (FA). The polymerized FA around the H2PtCl6 nanoparticles functions as a protecting agent and prevents the growth of Pt nanoparticles in the later high temperature carbonization step. The resulting Pt nanoparticles are highly dispersed in the mesoporous carbon structure, CMK3, and give a much higher methanol oxidation current when compared with Pt/CMK3 electrocatalysts prepared via the conventional route.

A three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous carbon structure was prepared with possible variations in porosity at three levels of length scales. The carbon structure was template-synthesized from a core–shell silica sphere assembly. The as-synthesized carbon featured a semi-ordered porous structure with hollow macro-cores (330 nm) surrounded by a mesoporous shell containing uniform pores of 3.9 nm and distinct interstitial space between the core–shell domains. The mesoporous shell thickness was stepwise increased from 0, 25, 50 to 100 nm while keeping an identical core size to create a family of hierarchical porous structures for a systematic investigation of electrochemical capacitance and ionic transport. The shell thickness affected the overall porosity and relative porosities of the shell, core, and interstitial regions. A thicker mesoporous shell possessed a higher surface area which led to a proportional increase in electrochemical capacitance which can be fully realised at low scan rates. For the carbon structure with the maximum shell thickness of 100 nm, electrochemical capacitance per unit area and power density declined at high scan rates and high currents when ionic transport through long mesopores became limiting. The power density of the better as-synthesized porous carbon was up to 11.7 kW kg−1 when the corresponding energy density was 5.9 W h kg−1.

Performance characteristics of a three electrolyte rechargeable acid–alkaline hybrid battery using a PbO2 positive plate and a nickel metal hydride (NiMHx) negative electrode in separate electrolyte of H2SO4 and KOH were studied. This hybrid battery has three electrolytes in a single cell. A neutral K2SO4 salt solution was placed between the acid and alkaline compartments of the cell, in which a cation exchange membrane and an anion exchange membrane, were employed to separate these three electrolytes. The open circuit voltage of this hybrid cell was found to be 2.64 V in an electrolyte configuration of 1 M H2SO4|0.2 M K2SO4|2 M KOH electrolyte configuration, compared to 1.92 V in the conventional lead-acid cell in 1 M H2SO4 and 1.40 V in a NiMHx cell in 2 M KOH. This hybrid acid–alkaline PbO2/NiMHx battery was shown to operate with a voltage 20% higher than the conventional lead acid battery and 110% higher than nickel–metal hydride battery at 1/3 C discharging rate. The concentrations of the three electrolytes, the dimension of the electrolyte chamber, and other cell/operation parameters with impacts on the hybrid cell performance were investigated.

Bicontinuous ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs), fabricated from a KIT-6 template using aluminosilicate as catalyst and furfuryl alcohol as carbon source, were successfully prepared and studied as electrodes in supercapacitors. Their structures were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small-angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD) and N2 cryosorption methods. Using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), the capacitive performance of the OMCs was found to be strongly dependent on the mesostructure. Specific capacitance value greater than 130 F g−1 at 20 mV s−1 were obtained from an OMC that featured high surface area with the existence of additional large pores to enhance the specific capacitance at high discharge rate. For the OMC with the best performance, we found that a power density as high as 4.5 kW kg−1 at an energy density of 6.1 Wh kg−1 can be delivered when the discharge current density is 20 A g−1 and can also be continuously charged and discharged with little variation in capacitance after 2500 cycles. These results indicate that this OMC with optimized structure has potential to be used as a power component in electric vehicles.

Highly selective dehydrogenation of formic acid in water was observed at near ambient temperature on a metal/metal oxide catalyst composed of platinum ruthenium and bismuth with a low activation energy of 37.3 kJ mol−1.

The use of polystyrene−polyglycidol (PS/PG) water-compatible resins for the extraction of the precious metal salts gold(I) cyanide and silver(I) cyanide from aqueous phase was studied. The resins studied include polyglycidol grafted onto a polystyrene core, a thiol version of this base PS/PG resin in which the terminal hydroxyl groups are replaced with thiol groups, and a magnetic PS/PG resin. More than 99% of the gold and silver ions of the original solutions could be extracted using the resins, and reverse extraction of the loaded metal ions from the resins was performed. Thus, recycling of the resins was possible and no deterioration in extraction performance of the reused materials was observed. The attractiveness of these resins in water purification is augmented by the fact that the PS/PG resins examined can be easily synthesized from inexpensive commodity chemical starting materials.

The generation of ozone from air using an electrochemical cell consisting of an air cathode, a polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEM), and a doped tin oxide anode is reported. This synthesis is environmentally friendly compared to the conventional high-voltage corona discharge process since NOx formation is eliminated; a higher ozone concentration is generated; and lower energy may be required.

Micrometre-sized porous polymer particles were fabricated by amination of chlorinated aliphatic polymer beads (chlorinated polypropylene (CPP), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), and polyvinyl chloride co-vinyl acetate (PVCVAc)) in aqueous amine (polyethylenimine (PEI) and triethylamine (TEA)) solution. The polymer particles obtained were characterized by SEM, elemental analysis, titration, N2 adsorption, FT-IR, solid-state NMR and thermogravimetry (TG). CPP–PEI, CPE–PEI, and PVCVAc–PEI had honeycomb-like pores whereas rugged textures with pores were developed in CPP–TEA, and skeleton-like pores were formed in PVCVAc–TEA. Aminated samples exhibit a BET surface area of 4–12 m2 g−1 and an anion exchange capacity of 1.10 to 4.27 mmol g−1. The membranes fabricated with CPP–PEI and PVCVAc–PEI exhibited ionic conductivities as high as 4.5 × 10−2 and 0.48 × 10−2 S cm−1, respectively. As a result, the hydrothermal amination could be an effective way to aminate chlorinated polymers without using organic solvents.

Highly ordered meso-porous carbon, denoted CMK-3 was synthesized by using mesoporous silicates, SBA-15 as the starting templating materials. The ordered mesoporous carbon was loaded with platinum and platinum–ruthenium nanoparticles using alternative synthesis techniques. The metal loaded ordered mesoporous carbon powders were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction, and nitrogen adsorption isotherm experiments. Micrometer-scale and centimeter-scale electrodes containing the mesocarbon/nanometal electrocatalysts were tested for some typical fuel cell reactions. While the nanometal/mesocarbon catalysts have well-defined and uniform properties in the nanometer scale, they have mixed electrocatalytic performance. A synthesized Pt/mesocarbon electrocatalyst outperformed a commercial electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction on a gas-diffusion electrode. The Pt–Ru/mesocarbon electrocatalyst synthesized, however, was not as effective for methanol oxidation.

Cross-linked polyacrylamide (C-PAM) hydrogels were employed to reduce the crystal size of SAPO-34 molecular sieves in a vapor-phase transport process. A wide size distribution of SAPO-34 crystals, ranging from a few nanometers to 3–5 μm, was produced when the synthesis precursor gels contained the appropriate amount of C-polyacrylamide (C-PAM) hydrogels. Specifically, these dispersions of SAPO-34 crystallites were formed when the molar ratio of polyacrylamide to Al2O3 was between 0.29 and 043. These crystals exhibited a BET surface area of 342–325 m2/g, micropore volume of 0.15–0.12 cm3/g, and TEA entrapment of 9.3–8.0%. Microanalysis using EDXS revealed the presence of residual precursor materials, such as phosphorus, supporting the fact that our samples possessed a lower BET surface area and micropore volume as compared with the SAPO-34 prepared by hydrothermal method in the literature.

Recent developments in syntheses and electrocatalytic properties of mixed metal nanoparticles will be briefly reviewed specifically for applications in fuel cells. Various metals such as pure platinum and platinum–ruthenium will be discussed. The role of nanostructured supports for the nanoparticles, such as ordered mesoporous carbon, will also be discussed.

Nafion-polyfurfuryl alcohol nanocomposite membranes with low methanol permeability and high proton conductivity were synthesized by in-situ polymerisation of furfuryl alcohol inside commercial Nafion membranes.

Platinum–cobalt nanoparticles were prepared from water/Triton X-100/propanol-2/cyclohexane reverse microemulsions. The Pt:Co ratio in the nanoparticles was well controlled by the initial concentrations of Pt and Co in the precursor solution. The nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The Pt–Co nanoparticles supported on a carbon electrode possessed high dispersion and high catalytic activity for methanol oxidation in alkaline solution at room temperature. The optimum Pt:Co ratio for methanol oxidation was determined to be 1:0.5.

Molecular dynamics simulations of a platinum nanocluster consisting 250 atoms were performed at different temperatures between 70 K and 298 K. The semi-empirical, many-body Sutton–Chen (SC) potential was used to model the interatomic interaction in the metallic system. Regions of core or bulk-like atoms and surface atoms can be defined from analyses of structures, atomic coordination, and the local density function of atoms as defined in the SC potential. The core atoms in the nanoparticle behave as bulk-like metal atoms with a predominant face centered cubic (fcc) packing. The interface between surface atoms and core atoms is marked by a peak in the local density function and corresponds to near surface atoms. The near surface atoms and surface atoms prefer a hexagonal closed packing (hcp). The temperature and size effects on structures of the nanoparticle and the dynamics of the surface region and the core region are discussed.

Mixed platinum–cobalt nanoparticles were prepared using a water-in-oil reverse microemulsion of water–Triton X-100–propan-2-ol–cyclohexane. Nanoparticles formed in the microemulsions were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). TEM shows the Pt–Co nanoparticles to have a narrow size distribution with an average of 3–4 nm. A uniform phase of platinum and cobalt in the nanoparticles was indicated by XRD analysis. The nanoparticles were supported on a carbon electrode with high dispersion. Even at a low precious metal loading, a high catalytic activity was demonstrated for methanol oxidation at room temperature.

This paper demonstrates the use of the atomic force microscope in high-resolution topographical imaging of bacteria, biofilm, and corroded steel surfaces, and in the quantification of localized corrosion. The nanometric physicochemical and mechanical properties of a single cell and bacterial biofilm surface are characterized by force mapping. The corrosion results in two different sulfate-reducing bacteria cultures showed that the patterns of pitting and the degree of corrosion of mild steel were related to the bacterial isolates. Results from measurement of the tip–biofilm and the tip–cell adhesion forces indicated that the extracellular polymeric substances were mainly distributed in the cell–substratum periphery or the cell–cell interface in the biofilm.

Hydrogen released from ammonia borane in MIL-101(Cr) can be significantly improved by the attached amino and amide groups. The release with minimum impurities starts at 68 °C, reaching 1.6 equivalent of ammonia borane at 85 °C for the amino modified MOFs (NH2-MIL-101).

Highly selective dehydrogenation of formic acid in water was observed at near ambient temperature on a metal/metal oxide catalyst composed of platinum ruthenium and bismuth with a low activation energy of 37.3 kJ mol−1.

A three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous carbon structure was prepared with possible variations in porosity at three levels of length scales. The carbon structure was template-synthesized from a core–shell silica sphere assembly. The as-synthesized carbon featured a semi-ordered porous structure with hollow macro-cores (330 nm) surrounded by a mesoporous shell containing uniform pores of 3.9 nm and distinct interstitial space between the core–shell domains. The mesoporous shell thickness was stepwise increased from 0, 25, 50 to 100 nm while keeping an identical core size to create a family of hierarchical porous structures for a systematic investigation of electrochemical capacitance and ionic transport. The shell thickness affected the overall porosity and relative porosities of the shell, core, and interstitial regions. A thicker mesoporous shell possessed a higher surface area which led to a proportional increase in electrochemical capacitance which can be fully realised at low scan rates. For the carbon structure with the maximum shell thickness of 100 nm, electrochemical capacitance per unit area and power density declined at high scan rates and high currents when ionic transport through long mesopores became limiting. The power density of the better as-synthesized porous carbon was up to 11.7 kW kg−1 when the corresponding energy density was 5.9 W h kg−1.

An alternative and effective route of synthesizing mesoporous carbon supported Pt nanoparticles is introduced. In reverse order to the conventional synthetic route, carbonization occurs after dispersion of platinum. In this process, H2PtCl6 acts as a Pt source and also serves as a catalyst for the polymerization of furfuryl alcohol (FA). The polymerized FA around the H2PtCl6 nanoparticles functions as a protecting agent and prevents the growth of Pt nanoparticles in the later high temperature carbonization step. The resulting Pt nanoparticles are highly dispersed in the mesoporous carbon structure, CMK3, and give a much higher methanol oxidation current when compared with Pt/CMK3 electrocatalysts prepared via the conventional route.

PtRu nanoparticles dispersed in CMK3 mesoporous carbons have been prepared via a CPDM (carbonization over poly-furfuryl alcohol-protected dispersed mixed metals) method. The as-synthesized CMK3 supported PtRu nanoparticles are characterized using tomography and cross-sectional TEM analysis and are compared against those synthesized by the conventional ethylene glycol (EG) method. The atomic ratio of Pt:Ru, which has an essential role on methanol oxidation, is found to be consistent at the nanometer scale. The good dispersion and uniform composition of PtRu nanoparticles result in improved methanol oxidation performance including higher methanol oxidation current and long-term stability.