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Nanoporous PdTi Alloys as Non‐Platinum Oxygen‐Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysts with Enhanced Activity and Durability
Author(s) -
Liu Yunqing,
Xu Caixia
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201200752
Subject(s) - bimetallic strip , nanoporous , catalysis , materials science , electrochemistry , alloy , platinum , chemical engineering , cathode , electrocatalyst , durability , oxygen evolution , oxygen reduction reaction , inorganic chemistry , metal , nanotechnology , chemistry , metallurgy , composite material , electrode , organic chemistry , engineering
A nanoporous PdTi (NP‐PdTi) alloy with uniform ligament size and controllable bimetallic ratio was easily fabricated by a one‐step mild dealloying process of PdTiAl (precursor alloy). NP‐PdTi consisted of an interconnected network of nanoscale ligaments with bicontinuous hollow channels extending in all three dimensions. Electrocatalytic measurements indicated that NP‐PdTi had superior electrocatalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with enhanced specific and mass activities as well higher methanol tolerance relative to Pt/C. Interestingly, NP‐PdTi showed higher catalytic durability than Pt/C with a lower decrease in the ORR activity and electrochemical surface area of the metal upon 5000 potential cycles in an acidic solution. DFT calculations demonstrated that alloying Pd with Ti could bring favorable electronic perturbation with the downshifted d‐band center of Pd, leading to a weakened PdO bond and improved ORR performance. The excellent electrocatalytic performance in ORR renders NP‐PdTi alloys attractive as efficient cathode electrocatalysts in fuel‐cell‐related technologies.