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Pd-Ru pair on Pt surface for promoting hydrogen oxidation and evolution in alkaline media
Longsheng Cao1, Fernando A Soto2, Dan Li1
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
Nature Communications
|August 22, 2024
Summary
Platinum catalysts for hydrogen oxidation reactions in alkaline media are enhanced using palladium-ruthenium pairs. This novel approach boosts catalytic activity for fuel cells and ammonia compressors without sacrificing surface area.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) is crucial for alkaline fuel cells and electrochemical ammonia compressors.
- Current platinum (Pt) catalysts for HOR in alkaline media are expensive and require high loadings due to slow reaction kinetics.
- Transition metal decoration can improve Pt catalyst activity but often decreases the electrochemical active surface area, limiting mass activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the activity of platinum catalysts for the hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline media.
- To overcome the limitation of reduced surface area in transition metal-decorated Pt catalysts.
- To develop a more efficient and cost-effective catalyst for alkaline fuel cells and ammonia compressors.
Main Methods:
- Decoration of palladium-ruthenium (Pd-Ru) pairs onto platinum (Pt) using a mildly catalytic thermal pyrolysis approach.
- Characterization of the decorated catalysts using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM).
- Computational simulations including density functional theory (DFT) and ab-initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) to understand dopant adsorption.
Main Results:
- Pd-Ru pairs were successfully decorated on Pt, confirmed by EXAFS and HAADF-STEM.
- DFT and AIMD simulations revealed preferred adsorption sites for Pd and Ru dopants.
- The Pd-Ru decorated Pt catalyst achieved a high mass-based exchange current density of 1557 ± 85 A g-1metal for HOR.
- Superior performance was demonstrated in an ammonia compressor application.
Conclusions:
- The Pd-Ru pair decoration strategy effectively enhances Pt catalyst activity for HOR in alkaline media.
- This method avoids the reduction in electrochemical active surface area typically observed with other decoration methods.
- The developed catalyst shows significant promise for improving the efficiency of alkaline fuel cells and electrochemical ammonia compressors.
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