Facile One-Pot Preparation of a New Palladium-Supported Nanocatalyst for the Electrochemical Reduction of Oxygen

Abstract

We report here a simple one-pot method for the preparation of multiwalled carbon nanotube@ silica-supported Pd catalyst. The one-step involves the in-situ surface modification of MWNT with silica (MWNT@silica) and simultaneous loading of Pd NPs using γ-irradiation. FESEM and HRTEM images revealed that silica is present as a layer (thickness in the range of 15―25 nm) on the surface of MWNT. Pd nanoparticles of sizes in the range of 5 to 10 nm were distributed onto MWNT@silica. The electronic properties and the structural aspects of MWNT@silica/Pd were ascertained using UV-visible and FTIR spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic performance of the MWNT@silica/Pd catalyst on oxygen reduction reaction was investigated using cyclic voltammetry. At the MWNT@silica/Pd catalyst electrode, oxygen reduction occurred at a more positive potential (∼0.45 V) which indicated excellent electrocatalytic behavior for the new nanocatalyst.