Catalysis of Multi‐walled Carbon Nanotubes Supported Pd x Co y Nanoparticles Prepared by a Pyrolysis Method Using Ionic Liquids as the Solvent toward Ethanol Oxidation Reaction

Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) decorated with Pd x Co y (the nominal atomic ratios of Pd to Co were 3:1, 3:1.5, 3:2, 3:3, respectively) nanoparticles (denoted as Pd x Co y /MWCNTs ) were fabricated by a simple pyrolysis process, in which room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) of butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (denoted as [BMIM]PF 6 ) was used as the solvent. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were all used to characterize the Pd x Co y /MWCNTs catalysts, showing that the Pd x Co y particles were dispersed on the surface of the MWCNTs with an average particle size of ∼25.0 nm. The electro‐catalytic activity of the Pd x Co y /MWCNTs catalysts toward ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) was examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV). It was revealed that the onset potential was ∼90 mV lower and the peak current was about four times higher for ethanol oxidation for Pd 3 Co 1.5 /MWCNTs compared to those of Pd 3 Co 1 /MWCNTs. The possible catalysis mechanisms of the Pd 3 Co 1.5 /MWCNTs toward EOR were also discussed.