Interface Charge Distribution Engineering of Pd-CeO₂ /C for Efficient Carbohydrazide Oxidation Reaction

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• Carbohydrazide electrooxidation (COR) is a promising alternative to the oxygen evolution reaction in water splitting.
• Sluggish kinetics hinder the widespread adoption of COR, necessitating the development of efficient catalysts.
• Catalyst electronic structure and interface charge distribution are crucial for optimizing COR activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the catalytic performance of highly dispersed Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles on CeO2/C for COR.
• To explore the role of interface charge distribution engineering in enhancing catalytic activity.
• To assess the potential of this catalyst for energy-efficient hydrogen production via carbohydrazide electrolysis.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of Pd nanoparticles highly dispersed on a CeO2/C support.
• Electrochemical investigation of the catalyst's performance in COR.
• Analysis of charge transfer dynamics between Pd and CeO2.
• Evaluation of the catalyst in a carbohydrazide electrolysis configuration for hydrogen production.

Main Results:

• The Pd-CeO2/C catalyst demonstrated superior COR catalytic activity, reaching 10 mA cm-2 at a low potential of 0.27 V.
• Interface charge distribution engineering facilitated the adsorption and cleavage of chemical bonds in carbohydrazide.
• The carbohydrazide electrolysis configuration using this catalyst achieved a low cell voltage of 0.6 V at 10 mA cm-2 for hydrogen production.

Conclusions:

• Interface charge distribution engineering is an effective strategy for enhancing COR catalytic activity.
• The developed Pd-CeO2/C catalyst shows significant potential for efficient and energy-saving hydrogen production.
• This approach offers a novel pathway for designing advanced electrocatalysts for COR applications.