Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gamma Radiolysis-Synthesized Carbon Nanotube–Supported Palladium as Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

  • Research
  • Published:
Electrocatalysis Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electrocatalysts are used to promote efficient energy conversion in fuel cell, especially for the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode that inhibits the performance of the device. In this work, we demonstrate the use of a facile gamma radiolysis technique to synthesize carbon nanotube-supported palladium (Pd) metal particles as electrocatalysts for the ORR application. The Pd precursor concentration used in the preparation process was found to contribute greater effects on the Pd content and Pd crystallite size of the synthesized product compared to the gamma irradiation dose. The results showed that gamma radiolysis could successfully reduce Pd ions from its precursor solution as evidenced from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization. The optimal ORR electrocatalyst was prepared using 0.01-M Pd precursor and a gamma radiation dose of 50 kGy. It displays a high half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.84 V (vs. RHE) and superior electron transfer number (n) of 3.96, as well as a low peroxide yield of 1.8%. This impressive ORR electrocatalytic performance was also attributed to the synergistic effect of Pd metal particles with CNT. The findings showed that Pd/CNT is a promising electrocatalyst for ORR application and that gamma radiolysis provides a facile and eco-friendly approach in synthesizing electrocatalysts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of Data and Materials

The data are available upon request from the authors.

References

  1. Y. Cao, R. Ran, X. Wu, Z. Si, F. Kang, D. Weng, Progress on metal-support interactions in Pd-based catalysts for automobile emission control. J. Environ. Sci. 125, 401–426 (2023)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. K.C. Nicolaou, P.G. Bulger, D. Sarlah, Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in total synthesis. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 44, 4442–4489 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Navlani-García, K. Mori, D. Salinas-Torres, Y. Kuwahara, H. Yamashita, New approaches toward the hydrogen production from formic acid dehydrogenation over Pd-based heterogeneous catalysts. Front. Mater. 6, 44 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. L. Truong-Phuoc, C. Pham-Huu, V. Da Costa, I. Janowska, Few layer graphene-supported palladium as highly efficient catalyst in oxygen reduction reaction. Chem. Commun. 50, 14433–14435 (2014)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. M. Shao, Palladium-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions. J. Power Sources 196, 2433–2444 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. T. Wang, A. Chutia, D.J.L. Brett, P.R. Shearing, G. He, G. Chai, I.P. Parkin, Palladium alloys used as electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. Energy Environ. Sci. 14, 2639–2669 (2021)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. B.D. Adams, A. Chen, The role of palladium in a hydrogen economy. Mater. Today 14, 6 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. A. Mirzaei, H.R. Yousefi, F. Falsafi, M. Bonyani, J. Lee, J. Kim, H.W. Kim, S.S. Kim, An overview on how Pd on resistive-based nanomaterial gas sensors can enhance response toward hydrogen gas. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 44, 20552–20571 (2019)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. R.S. Oosthuizen, V.O. Nyamori, Carbon nanotubes as supports for palladium and bimetallic catalysts for use in hydrogenation reactions. Platinum Metals Rev. 55, 154–169 (2011)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. H. Zhao, T.S. Zhao, Highly active carbon nanotube-supported Pd electrocatalyst for oxidation of formic acid prepared by etching copper template method. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 38, 1391–1396 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. A. Sarkany, Z. Papp, I. Sajo, Z. Schay, Unsupported Pd nanoparticles prepared by g-radiolysis of PdCl2. Solid State Ion. 176, 209–215 (2005)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. J.V. Kumar, N. Lingaiah, K.S. Rama Rao, S.P. Ramnani, S. Sabharwal, P.S. Sai Prasad, Investigation of palladium species in Pd/Al2O3 catalysts prepared by radiolysis method. Catal. Commun. 10, 1149–1152 (2009)

  13. C. Song, J. Zhang, Electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction. In: PEM Fuel cell Electrocatalysts and Catalyst Layers: Fundamentals and Applications, London, United Kingdom: Springer 89–134 (2008) 

  14. E. Grądzka, K. Winkler, Recent progress on electrochemical capacitors based on carbon nanotubes, In: Carbon Nanotubes - Recent Progress. London, United Kingdom: IntechOpen. (2017). Available: https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/57865; https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71687

  15. Q. Zhang, T. Chen, R. Jiang, F. Jiang, Comparison of electrocatalytic activity of Pt1-xPdx/C catalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation in acidic and alkaline media. RSC Adv. 10, 10134–10143 (2020)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. C.S. Dai, P.Y. Chien, J.Y. Lin, S.W. Chou, W.K. Wu, P.H. Li, K.Y. Wu, T.W. Lin, Hierarchically structured Ni3S2/carbon nanotube composites as high performance cathode materials for asymmetric supercapacitors. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 5, 12168–12174 (2013)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. K. Kakaei, M.D. Esrafili, A. Ehsani, Chapter 6 - Oxygen reduction reaction, In: Interface Science and Technology.Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. 27, 203–252 (2019)

  18. L. Jiang, A. Hsu, D. Chu, R. Chen, Size-dependent activity of palladium nanoparticles for oxygen electroreduction in alkaline solutions. J. Electrochem. Soc. 156, B643–B649 (2009)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. W. Chen, Q. Xiang, T. Peng, C. Song, W. Shang, T. Deng, J. Wu, Reconsidering the benchmarking evaluation of catalytic activity in oxygen reduction reaction. iScience 2, 101532 (2020)

Download references

Funding

This research was supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency through the Coordinated Research Project (IAEA-CRP-R23130).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia) Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Thye-Foo Choo, Nurazila Mat Zali, Nur Ubaidah Saidin & Kuan-Ying Kok

Authors
  1. Thye-Foo Choo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nurazila Mat Zali
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nur Ubaidah Saidin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kuan-Ying Kok
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

TFC and KYK: conceptualization, methodology, investigation, and writing (original draft). NUS and NMZ: methodology and formal analysis.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thye-Foo Choo.

Ethics declarations

Competing Interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Choo, TF., Mat Zali, N., Saidin, N.U. et al. Gamma Radiolysis-Synthesized Carbon Nanotube–Supported Palladium as Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction. Electrocatalysis 14, 418–428 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-022-00807-6

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-022-00807-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation