Enhanced ethanol electro-oxidation reaction on carbon supported Pd-metal oxide electrocatalysts

Various Pd-metal oxide/C electrocatalysts were fabricated using ethylene glycol as a reducing agent in modified microwave-assisted polyol process. The crystal structure and surface morphology were studied using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. All prepared Pd-metal oxide/C electrocatalysts exhibited a shift of Pd diffraction planes in the positive direction in relation to that of Pd/C. Highly dispersed palladium nanoparticles were formed on different metal oxide/C supports. The electrocatalytic performance of these electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation was examined in NaOH solution using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. An improvement in electrochemical parameters including onset potential, oxidation current density and I_f/I_b values was recorded at different Pd-metal oxide/C electrocatalysts, especially Pd-NiO/C. Three folds increment in steady state oxidation current density value was also displayed by investigated Pd-metal oxide/C electrocatalysts when contrasted to that of Pd/C to reflect their enhanced stability behavior.