Efficient electrocatalytic formic acid oxidation over PdAu-manganese oxide/carbon

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Developing efficient electrocatalysts is crucial for formic acid oxidation (FAO).
• Palladium-based materials are significant for FAO reactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate a novel Palladium-Gold alloy composited with Manganese Oxide (PdAu-MnOx/C) electrocatalyst.
• To investigate the enhanced FAO performance of the PdAu-MnOx/C catalyst.

Main Methods:

• Experimental synthesis of PdAu-MnOx/C electrocatalyst.
• Electrochemical characterization of catalytic activity.
• Theoretical studies to understand reaction mechanisms.

Main Results:

• The PdAu-MnOx/C electrocatalyst demonstrated remarkable FAO performance.
• Specific activity was 19.0 mA cm⁻² and mass activity was 4539 mA mg⁻¹Pd+Au.
• Performance was 2.6 and 3.5 times higher than commercial Pd/C, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Pd-Au bridges exhibit superior adsorption for HCOO* intermediates.
• Oxygen vacancies in MnOx facilitate HCOO* formation.
• The synergistic effects lead to outstanding FAO performance, paving the way for advanced Pd-based electrocatalysts.