Enhanced Electrocatalysis of Ethanol on Dealloyed Pd-Ni-P Film in Alkaline Media: an Infrared Spectroelectrochemical Investigation

Key Structure Parameters for Designing High-Performance Substrates of Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroelectrochemistry

Attenuated total reflectance surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) plays a crucial role in understanding the interfacial reaction mechanisms at the molecular level, achieving an enhancement factor (EF) of up to 103. However, when this technique is integrated with electrochemistry (EC-ATR-SEIRAS), the EF is significantly reduced by ten- to hundred-fold. Thus, understanding of the key parameters that contribute to the EF is of great importance in designing high-performance substrates and extending the application for EC-SEIRAS. In this study, we propose that the structure of the substrate for EC-ATR-SEIRAS consists of an enhancement unit (EU) supported on a conductivity unit (CU). The CU will screen the incident IR light reaching and interacting with the EU, resulting in a smaller EF as the CU thickness increases. Then, we introduce a strategy to optimize the performance of the EC-SEIRAS substrate by assembling a plasmonic antenna array as the EU that is supported on IR-transparent and conductive monolayer graphene as the CU. The established plasmon-enhanced EC-SEIRAS substrate demonstrates much higher IR enhancement, repeatability, and stability.

Recent advances in phosphorus containing noble metal electrocatalysts for direct liquid fuel cells

Direct liquid fuel cells (DLFCs) are considered as satisfactory alternatives to traditional fossil fuels owing to their unique advantages, e.g. environmental friendliness and easy storage. Noble metal catalysts are widely used to improve the efficiency of DLFCs. However, the high cost, low utilization and poor stability of noble metals restricted their practical applications. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore cost-effective electrocatalysts and further improve their electrocatalytic performance. Reducing the content of noble metals by adding low-priced phosphorus (P) has been considered as an effective strategy, which is able to enhance their electrocatalytic activity and anti-poisoning ability through effectively changing the electronic density of active sites. In the past few years, tremendous P containing catalysts have been synthesized and utilized in DLFCs. In this review, we summarize the fundamentals of electrochemical reactions and present recent progress in P containing noble metal catalysts for DLFCs, including the discussion of their shape, composition and the relationship between P and active sites. Finally, the challenges and some potential directions in this field are pointed out.

Synthesis and Characterization of PdAgNi/C Trimetallic Nanoparticles for Ethanol Electrooxidation

The direct use of ethanol in fuel cells presents unprecedented economic, technical, and environmental opportunities in energy conversion. However, complex challenges need to be resolved. For instance, ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) requires breaking the rigid C–C bond and results in the generation of poisoning carbonaceous species. Therefore, new designs of the catalyst electrode are necessary. In this work, two trimetallic Pd_xAg_yNi_z/C samples are prepared using a facile borohydride reduction route. The catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and evaluated for EOR through cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The XRD patterns have shown a weak alloying potential between Pd, and Ag prepared through co-reduction technique. The catalysts prepared have generally shown enhanced performance compared to previously reported ones, suggesting that the applied synthesis may be suitable for catalyst mass production. Moreover, the addition of Ag and Ni has improved the Pd physiochemical properties and electrocatalytic performance towards EOR in addition to reducing cell fabrication costs. In addition to containing less Pd, The PdAgNi/C is the higher performing of the two trimetallic samples presenting a 2.7 A/mg_Pd oxidation current peak. The Pd₄Ag₂Ni₁/C is higher performing in terms of its steady-state current density and electrochemical active surface area.

Surfactant-Free One-Pot Synthesis of Homogeneous Trimetallic PtNiCu Nanoparticles with Size Control by Using Glycine

Homogeneous platinum alloy nanoparticles (NPs) are of great interest to the electrocatalytic community for potential use in various fuel cell electrodes. Increasing the surface area available per unit mass by decreasing the size of NPs while maintaining or improving activity is one of the key tasks of fuel cell catalysis. Achieving both in a synthesis of multielement NPs is still a challenging workup. In this investigation, we report the use of glycine as a size control agent to make ultrasmall homogeneous trimetallic PtNiCu NPs within 2-5 nm range. The mechanistic roles of dimethyl formamide (DMF), formaldehyde, water, and glycine are explored to understand the formation of these small NPs. Interestingly, it was observed that these PtNiCu NPs exhibited substantially enhanced mass activities toward the electro-oxidation of ethanol in comparison to commercial Pt black.

Ethanol Electrooxidation Catalyzed by Tungsten Core@Palladium Shell Nanoparticles

Bimetallic nanostructures represent effective electrocatalysts toward a number of important reactions. In the present study, carbon-supported palladium-tungsten alloy nanoparticles with a quasi-tungsten core@palladium shell structure (W@Pd/C) were synthesized by a galvanic replacement reaction of amorphous tungsten nanoparticles with Pd(II) at different temperatures (0, 25, and 50 °C), and exhibited apparent electrocatalytic activity toward ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). When the sample was prepared at 0 °C, large amorphous tungsten nanoparticles were etched off and much smaller W@Pd nanoparticles were formed and dispersed rather evenly on the carbon surface whereas at higher reaction temperatures (25 and 50 °C), the W@Pd nanoparticles became agglomerated. The structures of the obtained samples were characterized by a range of experimental tools, including (scanning) transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. Among the series, the W@Pd/C sample prepared at 0 °C was observed to exhibit the best EOR performance, with a mass activity (9535.5 mA mg_Pd^-1) over three times better than that of commercial Pd/C and markedly enhanced stability.

White phosphorus derived PdAu–P ternary alloy for efficient methanol electrooxidation

Ternary PdAu–P electrocatalysts are obtained by a novel white-phosphorus derived reduction method, exhibiting an excellent electrocatalytic performance for methanol electrooxidation.