摘要
GePt <sub>3</sub> and Ge <sub>2</sub> Pt nanoparticles were synthesized via a solution colloidal method as catalysts for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The shape, size, arrangement, phases and crystalline structures of Ge-Pt nanoparticles were determined, and the ability to be dispersed in nonpolar solvents enabled them to form a catalyst ink with a stable ejection for the spray coating technique. A series of electrochemical analyses confirmed the catalytic properties of Ge-Pt nanoparticles toward the I <sup>-</sup> /I <sub>3</sub> <sup>-</sup> redox reaction system. The DSSC using GePt <sub>3</sub> nanoparticles as the counter electrode exhibited excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.04% at 0.16 cm <sup>2</sup> , which was comparable to that of a DSSC using Pt as the counter electrode (8.0%); it also exhibited an average PCE of 7.26% even at a large working area (2 cm <sup>2</sup> ). In addition, the GePt <sub>3</sub> catalyst exhibited excellent HER electrocatalytic performance with a large current density and a low Tafel slope, and it could stably operate at a working area of up to 5 cm <sup>2</sup> with a low over potential (<0.06 V) to achieve 10 mA cm <sup>-2</sup> cathodic current. This study provides fundamental insights into the preparation of germanium-platinum intermetallic compound catalysts at the nanoscale, which can be beneficial for the design and development of clean energy devices.