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Interface Design in Bimetallic PdNi Nanowires for Boosting Alcohol Oxidation Performances.
Zhen He1, Huangxu Li2, Lingwen Liao1
1Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, Hefei Institutes of Physics Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
Engineered palladium-nickel (Pd-Ni) bimetallic nanostructures with specific interfaces significantly boost electrocatalytic reactions like ethanol oxidation. These advanced nanomaterials show enhanced activity and stability for fuel cell applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Bimetallic nanostructures with phase separation and interfaces are crucial for advanced electrocatalysis.
- Controlling elemental distribution in nanostructures is key to optimizing performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct palladium-nickel (Pd-Ni) heterostructures with controlled elemental distributions and interfaces.
- To evaluate the electrocatalytic performance of these nanostructures for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR).
Main Methods:
- Seeded growth strategy to synthesize Pd-Ni heterostructures.
- Characterization of elemental distribution and nanostructure morphology.
- Electrocatalytic testing for EOR and EGOR, including mass activity and cycling stability.
- Theoretical calculations to understand interfacial effects.
Main Results:
- Pd-NiPd nanowires with abundant branches were successfully synthesized.
- These nanowires demonstrated superior mass current density and cycling stability for EOR and EGOR.
- Achieved highest mass activities of 8.63 A mgPd−1 for EOR and 12.53 A mgPd−1 for EGOR.
- Theoretical calculations identified the Pd (100)-PdNi (111) interface as a key active site.
Conclusions:
- Interface engineering in bimetallic nanostructures significantly enhances electrocatalytic activity.
- The developed seeded growth method offers a simple route to create tailored bimetallic nanomaterials.
- Pd-NiPd nanowires show great potential for applications in fuel cells and beyond.
