Engineering high-entropy alloy nanowires network for alcohol electrooxidation

High-entropy noble metals have attracted significant attention owning to their unique physicochemical   characteristics. Here we report a simple method for the preparation of high-entropy PdPtCuAgAu nanowire networks using carboxyl-functionalized surfactants as soft templates. This PdPtCuAgAu alloy electrocatalysts possess synergetic compositional (e.g., high-entropy effect, sluggish diffusion effect, and lattice distortion effect) and structural (anisotropic and thin nanowires) advantages. The PdPtCuAgAu alloy electrocatalysts exhibit significantly enhanced electrocatalytic performance toward ethanol oxidation reaction, including high mass activity (7.7 A mg Pd+Pt −1 ), superior stability/durability, anti-poisoning ability, and fine electrocatalytic kinetics. Similar improvements in electrocatalytic performance are also seen in reactions involving other alcohols such as ethylene glycol and methanol. The high-entropy characteristics synergistically attributed to the enhanced electrocatalytic ability for different reaction process. This approach for the synthesis of high-entropy alloys will provide a new route to rationally design other high-entropy nanocatalysts with desired morphologies/structure and functions for a wide range of (electro)catalytic applications.