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Highly efficient anode catalyst with a Ni@PdPt core–shell nanostructure for methanol electrooxidation in alkaline media

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Abstract

To enhance the electrocatalytic activity of anode catalysts used in alkaline-media direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), a Ni@PdPt electrocatalyst was successfully prepared using a three-phase-transfer method. The Ni@PdPt electrocatalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) techniques. The experimental results indicate that the average particle size of the core–shell-structured Ni@PdPt electrocatalyst is approximately 5.6 nm. The Ni@PdPt electrocatalyst exhibits a catalytic activity 3.36 times greater than that of PdPt alloys for methanol oxidation in alkaline media. The developed Ni@PdPt electrocatalyst offers a promising alternative as a highly electrocatalytically active anode catalyst for alkaline DMFCs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, 150080, China

    Pei-shu Yu, Chun-tao Liu, Bo Feng, Jia-feng Wan & Li Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering Process and Technology for High-efficiency Conversion, Harbin, 150080, China

    Chun-tao Liu

  3. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150001, China

    Chun-yu Du

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  1. Pei-shu Yu
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Correspondence to Chun-tao Liu.

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Yu, Ps., Liu, Ct., Feng, B. et al. Highly efficient anode catalyst with a Ni@PdPt core–shell nanostructure for methanol electrooxidation in alkaline media. Int J Miner Metall Mater 22, 1101–1107 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-015-1173-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-015-1173-0

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