Interface Design in Bimetallic PdNi Nanowires for Boosting Alcohol Oxidation Performances

The rational design of a bimetallic nanostructure with a phase separation and interface is of great importance to enhance electrocatalytic performance. Herein, PdNi heterostructures with controlled elemental distributions were constructed via a seeded growth strategy. Partially coated Ni islands in the Pd-Ni nanowire and strained Pd branches in the Pd-NiPd nanowires are revealed, respectively. Impressively, Pd-NiPd nanowires with abundant branches exhibit a superior mass current density and cycling stability toward an ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) and ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR). The highest mass activities of 8.63 A mg_Pd^-1 and 12.53 A mg_Pd^-1 for EOR and EGOR, respectively, are realized on the Pd-NiPd nanowires. Theoretical calculations indicate that the Pd (100)-PdNi (111) interface stands out as an active site for enhancing OH adsorption and the decreasing CO bonding interaction. This study not only puts forward a simple method to construct bimetallic nanostructures with desired elemental distributions and interfaces but also demonstrates the significance of interface engineering in regulating the catalytic activity of metallic nanomaterials.