Electrodeposited Pd nanoparticles on polypyrole/nickel foam for efficient methanol oxidation

Abstract

The present work describes the Ni foam (Ni–F)/polypyrrole (PPy)/palladium (Pd) (Ni–F/PPy/Pd) multilayered catalysts via a facile electrochemical technique. Potentiostatic deposition of PPy on the surface of Ni–F is followed by galvanostatic deposition of Pd nanoparticles on Ni–F/PPy acted as supports for electrochemical deposition of Pd nanoparticles. The produced catalysts are utilized for electrocatalytic methanol oxidation in alkaline media. Chronoamperometry (CA), cyclic voltammetry (CVs), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques are used to examine the electrocatalytic performance of Ni–F/PPy/Pd based electrodes for methanol oxidation. The polypyrrole modification on Ni–F leads to an improvement in the electrocatalytic activity of the Ni-F/PPY-Pd catalysts toward methanol oxidation. As an open-pored, porous metal with high electrical conductivity, nickel foam produces a substantial amount of active area during the modification of Pd and polypyrrole, which results in significant catalytic activity and a rapid rate charge transfer reaction kinetics on methanol oxidation. The Ni–F/PPy/Pd10 catalyst exhibits enhanced specific activity than its counterparts and a reduced onset potential for methanol oxidation, as well as a low Tafel slope. Based on these results, Ni–F/PPy/Pd10 is suggested as a good material for the anode in the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol.