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Highly-active Pd–Cu electrocatalysts for oxidation of ubiquitous oxygenated fuels

2016; Elsevier BV; Volume: 191; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.apcatb.2016.03.016

1873-3883

Alexey Serov, Tristan Asset, Mónica Padilla, Ivana Matanović, Ulises Martinez, Aaron Roy, Kateryna Artyushkova, Marian Chatenet, Frédéric Maillard, Domnik Bayer, Carsten Cremers, Plamen Atanassov,

Catalytic Processes in Materials Science

Nanostructured palladium-copper electrocatalysts with Pd:Cu ratios of 1:3, 1:1, and 3:1 were synthesized using a Sacrificial Support Method (SSM) in combination with the thermal reduction of metal precursors. The materials were comprehensively characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM and TEM), surface area measurements (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, BET) and Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectroscopy (DEMS). The SSM method enables the preparation of nano-sized unsupported Pd-Cu catalysts with uniformly-distributed particles and high surface area, in the range of 40 m2 gcatalyst−1. Their catalytic activity for the electrooxidation of several alcohols (methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol and glycerol) was investigated in alkaline media. In situ Infrared Reflection Adsorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were used in order to understand the mechanism of the various alcohols electrooxidation reactions.