Enzymes can perform complex multistep cascade reactions by linking multiple distinct catalytic sites via substrate channeling. We mimic this feature in a generalized approach with an electrocatalytic nanoparticle for the carbon dioxide reduction reaction comprising a Ag core surrounded by a porous Cu shell, providing different active sites in nanoconfined volumes. The architecture of the nanozyme provides the basis for a cascade reaction, which promotes C–C coupling reactions. The first step occurs on the Ag core, and the subsequent steps on the porous copper shell, where a sufficiently high CO concentration due to the nanoconfinement facilitates C–C bond formation. The architecture yields the formation of n -propanol and propionaldehyde at potentials as low as −0.6 V vs RHE.

Single Pt atom catalysts on non-active carbon supports have been key targets for electrochemical reactions because the high exposure of active Pt leads to record-high activities. PtRu alloy catalysts are the most active for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) as the Ru atoms decrease CO poisoning of the active Pt. To combine the exceptional activity of single atom Pt catalysts with the bene ts of an active Ru support we must overcome the synthetic challenge of forming single Pt atoms on noble metal nanoparticles. We have developed a concept to grow and spreads Pt islands on faceted Ru branched nanoparticles to make single Pt atom on Ru catalysts. By following the spreading process with in situ TEM, we show that the formation of single atoms is thermodynamically driven by the formation of strong Pt-Ru bonds and a lowering of surface area. The single Pt atom on Ru catalysts successfully limit CO poisoning during MOR to produce record current density and mass activity over time. MainThe methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is the limiting reaction for the direct methanol fuel cell because CO-poisoning prevents high current densities over time 1 . CO poisoning is one of the most signi cant issues limiting the long-term use of catalysts for reactions such as MOR, ethanol oxidation and formic acid oxidation, where CO intermediates form 2,3 . Pt is the most active MOR catalyst, however CO ads intermediates bind strongly to poison the Pt sites, thus preventing access of methanol to these active sites 4 . CO poisoning occurs by the formation of CO ads bound on top of three Pt atoms in a triangular arrangement 5,6 . As a consequence, single atom catalysts are a promising target to overcome CO poisoning if Pt atoms can be dispersed on a support without formation of these triangular arrangements of Pt atoms.

Achieving stability with highly active Ru nanoparticles for electrocatalysis is a major challenge for the oxygen evolution reaction. As improved stability of Ru catalysts has been shown for bulk surfaces with low-index facets, there is an opportunity to incorporate these stable facets into Ru nanoparticles. Now, a new solution synthesis is presented in which hexagonal close-packed structured Ru is grown on Au to form nanoparticles with 3D branches. Exposing low-index facets on these 3D branches creates stable reaction kinetics to achieve high activity and the highest stability observed for Ru nanoparticle oxygen evolution reaction catalysts. These design principles provide a synthetic strategy to achieve stable and active electrocatalysts.

The direct growth of Pt islands on lattice mismatched Ni nanoparticles is a major synthetic challenge and a promising strategy to create highly strained Pt atoms for electrocatalysis. By using very mild reaction conditions, Pt islands with tunable strain were formed directly on Ni branched particles. The highly strained 1.9 nm Pt-island on branched Ni nanoparticles exhibited high specific activity and the highest mass activity for HER in pH 13 electrolyte. These results show the ability to synthetically tune the size of the Pt islands to control the strain to give higher HER activity.

Controlling the formation of nanosized branched nanoparticles with high uniformity is one of the major challenges in synthesizing nanocatalysts with improved activity and stability. Using a cubic‐core hexagonal‐branch mechanism to form highly monodisperse branched nanoparticles, we vary the length of the nickel branches. Lengthening the nickel branches, with their high coverage of active facets, is shown to improve activity for electrocatalytic oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), as an example for biomass conversion.