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Supported Pd–Cu Bimetallic Nanoparticles That Have High Activity for the Electrochemical Oxidation of Methanol
Author(s) -
Yin Zhen,
Zhou Wu,
Gao Yongjun,
Ma Ding,
Kiely Christopher J.,
Bao Xinhe
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201103674
Subject(s) - bimetallic strip , nanoparticle , ethylene glycol , methanol , catalysis , dispersity , materials science , electrochemistry , alloy , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , chemistry , nanotechnology , metallurgy , electrode , organic chemistry , polymer chemistry , engineering
Monodisperse bimetallic Pd–Cu nanoparticles with controllable size and composition were synthesized by a one‐step multiphase ethylene glycol (EG) method. Adjusting the stoichiometric ratio of the Pd and Cu precursors afforded nanoparticles with different compositions, such as Pd 85 –Cu 15 , Pd 56 –Cu 44 , and Pd 39 –Cu 61 . The nanoparticles were separated from the solution mixture by extraction with non‐polar solvents, such as n ‐hexane. Monodisperse bimetallic Pd–Cu nanoparticles with narrow size‐distribution were obtained without the need for a size‐selection process. Capping ligands that were bound to the surface of the particles were removed through heat treatment when the as‐prepared nanoparticles were loaded onto a Vulcan XC‐72 carbon support. Supported bimetallic Pd–Cu nanoparticles showed enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation compared with supported Pd nanoparticles that were fabricated according to the same EG method. For a bimetallic Pd–Cu catalyst that contained 15 % Cu, the activity was even comparable to the state‐of‐the‐art commercially available Pt/C catalysts. A STEM‐HAADF study indicated that the formation of random solid‐solution alloy structures in the bimetallic Pd 85 –Cu 15 /C catalysts played a key role in improving the electrochemical activity.