One-pot synthesis of reduced graphene oxide supported hollow Ag@Pt core–shell nanospheres with enhanced electrocatalytic activity for ethylene glycol oxidation

In this study, a simple, facile and one-pot solvothermal method was developed for preparation of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) supported hollow Ag@Pt core–shell nanospheres (hAg@Pt), using ethylene glycol (EG) as a reducing agent and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a soft template. Control experiments demonstrated that the molar ratios of the Pt–Ag precursors, the amount of SDS, the presence of RGO, and the reaction temperature were critical to the final nanocomposites. The as-prepared hAg@Pt–RGO showed the improved electrocatalytic activity and durability toward ethylene glycol oxidation, which can serve as a promising potential electrocatalyst in direct alcohol fuel cells.