Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
10:57
Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
Medium-Entropy Amorphous Alloyed Single-Atom Pd Catalysts for Direct Ethylene Glycol Fuel Cells
Zhe Zheng1, Qiang Yuan1, Siyang Nie2,3
1State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Centre For R&D of Fine Chemicals, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, P. R. China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|July 18, 2026
Summary
We developed novel single-atom palladium nanosheets that significantly boost electrocatalysis for oxygen reduction and ethylene glycol oxidation. These catalysts outperform commercial platinum, offering a promising advancement for fuel cell technology.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Precise control over the d-band center of palladium (Pd) is crucial for targeted electrocatalysis but remains challenging through rational structural design.
- Developing advanced catalysts with enhanced activity and selectivity is essential for efficient energy conversion technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize medium-entropy amorphous alloyed single-atom (MEAASA) Pd nanosheets (NSs) with a precisely modulated d-band center.
- To investigate the electrocatalytic performance of these novel Pd-based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR).
Main Methods:
- Medium-entropy alloying, single-atom coordination, and oxyphilic Cr/Mo/W modification were employed to tune the Pd d-band center.
- Electrocatalytic activity was evaluated for ORR and EGOR, and compared against commercial Pt/C catalysts.
- The reaction mechanisms, including intermediate adsorption and CO suppression, were investigated through experimental analysis.
Main Results:
- The synthesized PdCrMoW MEAASA NSs demonstrated superior mass activities for ORR (2.15 A mg⁻¹ ) and EGOR (15.19 A mg⁻¹ ), exceeding commercial Pt/C by 15.4 and 4.4 times, respectively.
- The optimized d-band center facilitated balanced adsorption/activation of intermediates and suppressed CO formation, enabling efficient 4e⁻ ORR and near-complete 10e⁻ EGOR with 91.5% C1 selectivity.
- In direct ethylene glycol fuel cells (DEGFCs), PdCrMoW MEAASA NSs achieved a peak power density of 117 mW·cm⁻², outperforming state-of-the-art Pt/C.
Conclusions:
- The MEAASA strategy offers an effective approach for rational design and precise modulation of the Pd d-band center for advanced electrocatalysis.
- The developed PdCrMoW MEAASA NSs represent a highly promising catalyst for ORR, EGOR, and DEGFC applications, offering significant improvements over conventional catalysts.
Related Concept Videos
02:50Catalysis
The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.
01:22Heterogeneous Catalysis
Heterogeneous catalysis involves a catalyst in a different phase from the reactants. It is a process where the catalyst and the reactants are in distinct phases, typically solid and gas or liquid.Most heterogeneous catalysts are metals, metal oxides, or acids. The list includes transition metals like iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu). These metals possess partially vacant d orbitals that...
00:53Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)
Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization or ADMET polymerization involves cross-metathesis of terminal dienes, such as 1,8-nonadiene, to give linear unsaturated polymer and ethylene. As ADMET is a reversible process, the formed ethylene gas must be removed from the reaction mixture to complete the polymerization process.
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
02:17Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes is a transition-metal catalyzed reduction of the double bond using molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. The mode of hydrogen addition follows syn stereochemistry.
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...