One-step aqueous synthesis of hierarchically multi-branched PdRuCu nanoassemblies with highly boosted catalytic activity for ethanol and ethylene glycol oxidation reactions

Abstract

Shaped-controlled synthesis of high-efficiency electrocatalysts towards ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) is important for development of alcohol alkaline fuel cells. Herein, one-step aqueous method was developed for constructing hierarchically multi-branched PdRuCu nanoassemblies (NAs) under the guidance of octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (NP-40) and NaBr. The as-obtained PdRuCu NAs exhibited dramatically enhanced electrocatalytic activity and improved stability for EOR and EGOR in alkaline solution. The mass/specific activity of the as-prepared catalysts for EOR (1.16 A mg−1Pd/3.78 mA cm−2) and EGOR (1.29 A mg−1Pd/4.19 mA cm−2) were steeply higher than those of commercial Pd black (0.17 A mg−1Pd/1.81 mA cm−2; 0.21 A mg−1Pd/2.27 mA cm−2), respectively. This work would provide some valuable insights for synthesis of advanced polymetallic electrocatalysts in fuel cells.