Sinter-Resistant Pd-P/C Electrocatalyst for Durable Oxygen Reduction.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Heteroatom incorporation into carbon-supported platinum group metal electrocatalysts (M-X-C) is crucial for mitigating particle sintering.
• Traditional methods embedding heteroatoms (X) within the carbon matrix result in low X site density, limiting catalyst stabilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel strategy for enhancing the stabilization of metal electrocatalysts by directly implanting heteroatoms onto metal particles.
• To achieve comprehensive stabilization of the metal-X/carbon (M-X/C) architecture through enriched metal surfaces and interfaces.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical and experimental investigations were conducted using Palladium-Phosphorus/Carbon (Pd-P/C) as a model system.
• Direct surface implantation of phosphorus (P) onto Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles supported on carbon.

Main Results:

• Surface P decoration on Pd nanoparticles created an antidemetalization Pd-P surface and abundant interfacial C-P bonds.
• The Pd-P/C catalyst demonstrated excellent resistance to Ostwald ripening and particle migration, maintaining activity and size distribution over 10,000 accelerated cycles for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).
• Pd-P/C significantly outperformed Pd/P-C and commercial Pd/C benchmarks in catalytic durability.

Conclusions:

• Directly implanting heteroatoms onto supported metal particles offers superior stabilization compared to traditional methods.
• The developed M-X/C architecture provides exceptional sintering resistance and catalytic durability, particularly for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).
• This strategy holds significant promise for advancing the performance and longevity of electrocatalysts in various applications.