Abstract
Uniform and sub-10 nm size bimetallic PtPd nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized via a simple and facile method without using any surfactants at an ambient temperature. As a green and clean reductive agent, ascorbic acid (AA) was employed for the coreduction of K2PtCl4and K2PdCl4in aqueous solution. The morphology, composition, and structure of PtPd NPs had been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission high resolution transmission electron microscopy (FE-HRTEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS). Comparing with both the monometallic Pt and Pd, the as-prepared alloy nanoparticles show superior electrocatalytic activity and better tolerance against poisoning by intermediates generated during methanol electrooxidation, which makes them a promising electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Meanwhile, the green and simple approach could be easily extended to the manufacture of bimetallic or trimetallic alloy nanomaterials.
Highlights
With the increasing depletion of fossil energy and the severity of environmental pollution, people pay great attention to develop a renewable, clean, and effective energy
It was verified that alloying Pt with inexpensive metals especially the transition metals can substantially reduce the cost of the electrocatalyst and alter the geometrical and electronic effect to yield a more active catalytic surface [4]
We have developed a simple and rapid method to obtain the uniform and ultrafine PtPd NPs
Summary
With the increasing depletion of fossil energy and the severity of environmental pollution, people pay great attention to develop a renewable, clean, and effective energy. 50 times more abundant in nature and much cheaper than Pt, is considered as an ideal substitution for the growth of the Pt-based bimetallic nanocatalysts owning to only 0.77% lattice mismatch with Pt. PtPd alloy nanomaterials exhibit a similar catalytic performance as well as a higher intermediate poison resistance compared with Pt. Journal of Nanomaterials during methanol electrooxidation [11, 12]. Bimetallic PtPd nanocatalysts are expected to be a promising substitute for Pt catalysts in DMFCs. So far, different kinds of methods for synthesizing PtPd bimetallic nanoparticles have been reported, such as waterin-oil technique, microwave irradiation [13], electroless deposition technique [14], normal wet impregnation technique, and flame aerosol [15]. The further electrochemical characterizations indicate superior electrocatalytic activity and poison tolerance of the prepared PtPd NPs/V for methanol oxidation compared with Pt NPs/V and Pd NPs/V, which indicates potential use of PtPd NPs/V as a new anode catalyst in DMFCs
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