Binary PdCu Nanoparticles for Electrocatalytic Ethanol Oxidation

In electrochemical reactions, the development of high-performance catalytic materials has always been the focus of research, among which regulating the morphology and structure of catalysts is the key strategy to improving the catalytic activity and durability. In this study, binary PdCu particles were prepared by a hydrothermal method under the synergistic action of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and formic acid. By tuning of the percentage of Cu in the metal precursor, alloy particles with irregular polyhedral structure were obtained. Experimental data show that the prepared PdCu nanoparticles exhibit good catalytic activity, which is attributed to their optimized morphological characteristics and electronic structure. In the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), the current densities of PdCu@NP#1, PdCu@NP#2, and PdCu@NP#3 reached 2519, 3312, and 2855 mA mg –1, respectively. This study further discussed the improvement in the catalytic activity of alcohol oxidation from the viewpoint of the electronic structure and morphological characteristics of PdCu nanoparticles. By manipulation of the electronic structure to optimize the d-band center, the adsorption–desorption equilibrium between reactants and intermediates in EOR was adjusted. These results can help in the design and construction of high-performance metal-based alloy electrocatalysts.