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Nitrogen and Oxygen Co‐Doping Assisted Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Pd Nanoparticles on Hollow Carbon Spheres as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Author(s) -
Wang Xingkun,
Chen Zongkun,
Chen Sineng,
Wang Huanlei,
Huang Minghua
Publication year - 2020
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.202000901
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , catalysis , nanoparticle , rational design , materials science , electrochemistry , chemical engineering , oxygen , methanol , adsorption , carbon fibers , solvent , oxygen evolution , nanotechnology , chemistry , electrode , composite number , organic chemistry , composite material , engineering
Electrochemical reduction of O 2 (oxygen reduction reaction; ORR) provides an opportunity to achieve the commercial application of clean energy, but it remains challenging, so the rational design of inexpensive and efficient electrocatalysts is required. Palladium‐based electrocatalysts have emerged as a class of the most promising candidates for the ORR, which could accelerate O 2 adsorption, dissociation, and electron transfer. However, the metal Pd atoms tend to aggregate into nanoparticles, driven by the tendency of the metal surface free energy to decrease, which significantly reduces the atom utilization efficiency and the catalytic performance. Herein, a facile double solvent impregnation method is developed for the synthesis of highly dispersed Pd nanoparticles supported on hollow carbon spheres (Pd‐HCS), which could act as efficient electrocatalysts for the ORR in basic solution. Systematic investigation reveals that the nitrogen‐containing and oxygen‐containing functional groups (especially −COOH groups) are essential for achieving the homogenous dispersion of Pd nanoparticles. Significantly, the optimized Pd‐HCS electrocatalyst with homogeneously dispersed Pd nanoparticles and Pd−N sites delivers high electrocatalytic activity for the ORR and excellent stability, without significant decay in onset potential and half‐potential and good resistance to methanol crossover. This work offers a new route for the rational design of efficient ORR electrocatalysts toward advanced materials and emerging applications.