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Unconventional-Phase Pd20Te7 Octahedra With High-Index Facets for Oxygen Reduction
Pinlin Wang1, Qing Gong1, Fei Xue1
1State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Researchers synthesized novel palladium telluride nano-octahedra with high-index facets for enhanced electrocatalysis. These nanomaterials show improved activity in alkaline oxygen reduction reactions and fuel cells.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- High surface energy poses challenges in synthesizing high-index faceted nanomaterials.
- Preparation of unconventional-phase palladium (Pd)-based nanocrystals with high-index facets is underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for synthesizing unconventional-phase Pd20Te7 nano-octahedra (NOs) with high-index facets.
- To evaluate the electrocatalytic performance of these NOs for alkaline oxygen reduction reaction and in hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells.
Main Methods:
- Utilized ethylene glycol as a morphology and size controller for Pd20Te7 NO synthesis.
- Characterized the NOs, focusing on their {300}, {290}, and {223} high-index facets.
- Tested the electrocatalytic activity in alkaline oxygen reduction reactions and assembled membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for fuel cell testing.
Main Results:
- Synthesized Pd20Te7 NOs enclosed by specific high-index facets.
- Achieved a mass activity of 1.91 A mgPd-1 for alkaline oxygen reduction reaction, a 1.89-fold enhancement over Pd20Te7 nanoparticles (NPs).
- Pd20Te7 NOs-based MEA demonstrated a peak power density of 0.59 W cm-2 and mass activity of 14.33 A mgPGM-1 in H2-O2 fuel cells, significantly outperforming NPs.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized Pd20Te7 NOs with high-index facets exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity.
- This approach provides a new strategy for designing high-index faceted nanocrystals for efficient catalysis.
- The findings pave the way for advanced catalysts in fuel cells and other electrochemical applications.
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