Femtosecond laser solid-phase synthesis of semi-encapsulated Pd catalysts for stable ethanol oxidation reaction

High-performance nanocatalysts are pivotal for advancing clean energy technologies such as fuel cells; however, conventional fabrication methods are often limited by complex procedures and the difficulty of precisely controlling active sites. Laser solid-phase synthesis (LSPS), characterized by its rapid, clean, and controllable nature, presents a promising avenue for catalyst preparation. Here, we report a strategy combining laser-induced graphene with LSPS to construct semi-encapsulated palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) on three-dimensional porous laser-induced graphene supports. The resulting catalysts exhibit enhanced catalytic activity and superior stability toward the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), retaining over 90% of their initial activity after 2500 accelerated durability test (ADT) cycles. Mechanistic insights from coupled FEM-MD simulations reveal that the laser-induced non-equilibrium thermal field is pivotal in forming a semi-encapsulated architecture. This work provides a new paradigm for the rational design of stable Pd-based EOR catalysts and demonstrates their potential for use in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs).