Synthesis and characterization of palladium nanoparticles-corannulene nanocomposite: An anode electrocatalyst for direct oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium

Abstract

• Catalyst based on PdNPs and corannulene has been developed for methanol fuel cells. • Corannulene is used as novel Supporting Material in fuel cell applications. • The catalyst exhibits high current density and long-term stability. • Corannulene support has reduced the loading of PdNPs. Herein a facile route to anchor transition metal nanoparticles on a bowl-shaped carbon material has been described to prepare a novel nanocomposite as an anode electrode for fuel cell applications. To accomplish this, palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) have been electrochemically decorated on corannulene-based curved carbon material. The proposed catalyst was structurally and morphologically characterized by various techniques. The performance of the catalyst was evaluated by electrochemical techniques such as CV, EIS, LSV, and CA. The PdNPs@Corannulene catalyst shows high MOR activity of 102.1 mA/cm 2 in an alkaline medium and good stability when compared with most of the reported Pd-based catalysts and Pd/C. The developed electrocatalyst exhibited a high surface area, good current density, excellent anti-poisoning ability, and superior catalytic activity towards methanol oxidation. The results presented herein revealed that molecularly curved carbon-corannulene as a novel support material in the design of nanostructured catalysts will open a new avenue for high-performance fuel cell applications.