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Facile one-step synthesis of PdPb nanochains for high-performance electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation

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Abstract

The widespread application of direct ethanol fuel cells is hampered due to the low activity, high cost and poor operation durability of electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Herein, we report a one-pot synthetic method to synthesize PdPb3 nanochains with well-defined shape, size and composition via a solution-phase reduction method. The morphology, composition distribution and structure characteristics of PdPb3 nanochains were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Thanks to the unique structure, the as-obtained PdPb3 nanochains can manifest much higher mass activity (2523 mA·mg−1) and higher operation durability than commercial Pd/C (1272 mA·mg−1) during the EOR measurements. More importantly, further CO-stripping measurements indicate that the incorporation of Pb species could favor the oxidative removal of CO intermediates on the Pd electrode at the negative potential and enhance the EOR activity and stability, making it possible to develop highly active and durable electrocatalysts.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21673150, 21703146 and 51802206), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Nos. BK20180097 and BK20180846), the Program of the Ministry of Education of China for Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (111 Project), the Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology (NANO-CIC) and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Yong Zhang, Feng-Lei Lyu, Xu-Chun Wang, Xiao-Jing Jiang, Mu-Han Cao & Qiao Zhang

  2. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China

    Xiao-Lei Yuan

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  1. Yong Zhang
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Zhang, Y., Yuan, XL., Lyu, FL. et al. Facile one-step synthesis of PdPb nanochains for high-performance electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation. Rare Met. 39, 792–799 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12598-020-01442-0

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