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Linker-free chemical preparation of palladium nanoparticles on aluminum-doped zinc oxide electrodes for electrochemical water oxidation

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Abstract

Despite the growing popularity and promising properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) among other transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), modification of AZO with a suitable nano-catalyst can help to enhance its electrocatalytic properties. In this study, the surface of AZO is decorated with palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) by simply Pd ion capturing on bare AZO from an aqueous solution of K2PdCl4 and successive reduction with NaBH4 to enhance the electrocatalytic properties toward water oxidation. The effect of K2PdCl4 concentration is optimized for optimum PdNPs-modified AZO (PdNPs-AZO) electrodes for electrochemical water oxidation. The surface morphology, elemental composition, and electrical properties of the prepared PdNPs-AZO were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and four-in-line probe, respectively. The PdNPs-AZO electrodes, prepared with various concentrations of Pd precursors, exhibited a significant change in terms of electrode sheet resistance and resistivity from each other. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry were conducted in a 0.1 M NaOH (aq.) solution to achieve quantitative information about the electrodes and electrochemical reactions toward water oxidation. The PdNPs-AZO prepared with 5.0 mM K2PdCl4 exhibited optimum behavior toward water oxidation with the starting oxidation potential of 625.7 mV vs. Ag/AgCl and current density of 13.8 mA cm−2 at 1.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl.

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Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the support provided by the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Hydrogen and Energy Storage (IRC-HES) and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, KFUPM in utilizing the research facilities for all the reported material characterizations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    Ismail A. Buliyaminu, Syed Shaheen Shah & Zain Hassan Yamani

  2. Interdisciplinary Research Center for Hydrogen and Energy Storage (IRC-HES), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, KFUPM, Box 5040, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia

    Ismail A. Buliyaminu, Md.Abdul Aziz, Syed Shaheen Shah & Zain Hassan Yamani

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  1. Ismail A. Buliyaminu
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IAB: Conceptualization, methodology, investigation, data analysis, and original draft preparation. MAA: Conceptualization, methodology, investigation, supervision, reviewing, and editing. SSS: Investigation, data analysis, and reviewing. ZHY: Investigation, supervision, reviewing, and editing.

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Buliyaminu, I.A., Aziz, M., Shah, S.S. et al. Linker-free chemical preparation of palladium nanoparticles on aluminum-doped zinc oxide electrodes for electrochemical water oxidation. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 1337–1351 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-07452-7

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