Synthesis and Electrocatalysis of PdCu Alloy Nanocrystals

Authors

Hai-Bin WU
Rui-Zhong ZHANG
Wei CHEN

Corresponding Author

Wei CHEN(chenw@sari.ac.cn)

Abstract

Monodispersed PdCu alloy nanoparticles were synthesized by co-reduction of Cu(acac)2 and Pd(acac)2 with 1, 2-hexadecanediol. The spherical and popcorn-like shapes of PdCu alloy nanoparticles were obtained by changing the ratios of mixed surface protecting ligands of 1-octadecene, and oleylamine or oleic acid. TEM and XRD measurements showed that both PdCu nanoparticles are alloy nanocrystals dominated with (111) planes and the average sizes are 12.7 ± 0.18 and 20.4 ± 0.31 nm for he spherical and popcorn-like PdCu nanoparticles, respectively. The electrocatalytic activities of the PdCu nanocrystals for formic acid oxidation were evaluated by electrochemical cyclic voltammetry (CV). The result showed that the peak current density of formic acid oxidation on the spherical PdCu nanocrystals is 6.5 times higher than that on the popcorn-like PdCu nanoparticles. Moreover, by comparing the ratio of the current density of the first anodic peak to the cathodic peak, the spherical PdCu nanocrystals exhibit better tolerance to CO poisoning than that of the popcorn-like counterparts. Chronoamperometric measurement indicated that the spherical PdCu nanocrystals have better activity and stability for formic acid oxidation compared to the popcorn-like PdCu nanoparticles.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

PdCu alloy, nanocrystals, electrocatalysis, formic acid oxidation

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.61558/2993-074X.2943

Publication Date

2013-04-28

Online Available Date

2012-01-23

Revised Date

2012-01-13

Received Date

2011-12-15

Recommended Citation

Hai-Bin WU, Rui-Zhong ZHANG, Wei CHEN. Synthesis and Electrocatalysis of PdCu Alloy Nanocrystals[J]. Journal of Electrochemistry, 2013 , 19(2): Article 14.
DOI: 10.61558/2993-074X.2943
Available at: https://jelectrochem.xmu.edu.cn/journal/vol19/iss2/14

References

[1] Rice C, Ha R I, Masel R I, et al. Direct formic acid fuel cells [J]. Journal of Power Sources, 2002, 111(1): 83-89.

[2] Dillon R, Srinivasan S, Arico A S, et al. International activities in DMFC R&D: status of technologies and potential applications [J]. Journal of Power Sources 2004, 127(1/2): 112-126.

[3] Zhu Y M, Ha S Y, Masel R I. High power density direct formic acid fuel cells [J]. Journal of Power Sources 2004, 130(1/2): 8-14.

[4] Tian N, Zhou Z Y, Ding Y, et al. Synthesis of tetrahexahedral platinum nanocrystals with high-index facets and high electro-oxidation activity [J]. Science, 2007, 316(5825): 732-735.

[5] Chen W, Kim J M, Sun S H, et al. Composition effects of FePt alloy nanoparticles on the electro-oxidation of formic acid [J]. Langmuir, 2007, 23(22): 11303-11310.

[6] Chen W, Chen S W. Iridium-platinum alloy nanoparticles: Composition-dependent electrocatalytic activity for formic acid oxidation [J]. Journal of Material Chemistry, 2011, 21(25): 9169-9178.

[7] Tian N, Zhou Z Y, Yu N F, et al. Direct electrodeposition of tetrahexahedral Pd nanocrystals with high-index facets and high catalytic activity for ethanol electrooxidation [J]. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2010, 132(22): 7580-7581.

[8] Chen W, Chen S W. Oxygen electroreduction catalyzed by gold nanoclusters: strong core size effects [J]. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2009, 48(24): 4386-4389.

[9] Zhou Z Y, Huang Z Z, Chen D J, et al. High-index faceted platinum nanocrystals supported on carbon black as highly efficient catalysts for ethanol electrooxidation [J]. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2010, 49(2): 411-414.

[10] Lu Y Z, Chen W, One- pot synthesis of heterostructured Pt-Ru nanocrystals for catalytic formic acid oxidation [J]. Chemical Communications, 2011, 47(9): 2541-2543.

[11] Chen W, Xu L P, Chen S W, Enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid by platinum deposition on ruthenium nanoparticle surfaces [J]. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 2009, 631(1/2): 36-42.

[12] Chen W, Kim J, Sun S H, et al. Electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen by FePt alloy nanoparticles [J]. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2008, 112(10): 3891-3898.

[13] Lu Y Z, Chen W. Nanoneedle-covered Pd-Ag nanotubes: high electrocatalytic activity for formic acid oxidation [J]. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2010, 114(49): 21190-21200.

[14] Shao M H, Shoemaker K, Peles A, et al. Pt monolayer on porous Pd-Cu alloys as oxygen reduction electrocatalysts [J]. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2010, 132 (27): 9253-9255.

[15] Kariuki N N, Wang X, Mawdsley J R, et al. Colloidal synthesis and characterization of carbon-supported Pd-Cu nanoparticle oxygen reduction electrocatalysts [J]. Chemistry of Materials, 2010, 22 (14): 4144-4152.

[16] Wang X P, Kariuki N, Vaughey J T, et al. Bimetallic Pd-Cu oxygen reduction electrocatalysts [J]. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2008, 155(6): B602-B609.

[17] Park K H, Lee Y W, Kang S W, et al. A facile one-pot synthesis and enhanced formic acid oxidation of monodisperse Pd-Cu nanocatalysts [J]. Chemistry - An Asian Journal, 2011, 6(6): 1515-1519.

[18] Clavilier J, Armand D, Sun S G, et al. Electrochemical adsorption behaviour of platinum stepped surfaces in sulphuric acid solutions [J]. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 1986, 205(1/2): 267-277.

[19] Lebedeva N P, Koper M T M, Feliu J M, et al. Mechanism and kinetics of the electrochemical CO adlayer oxidation on Pt(111) [J]. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 2002, 524-525: 242-251.

[20] Chen W, Kim J, Sun S H, et al. Electro-oxidation of formic acid catalyzed by FePt nanoparticles [J]. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2006, 8(23): 2779-2786.