Bimetallic PdCo and PdFe electrocatalysts for the electrochemical oxidation of formica acid

Pd, PdCo and PdFe catalysts were prepared by the impregnation method, using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as the reducing agent and a commercial carbon material (Vulcan XC-72R) as support. The synthesized electrocatalysts were tested for the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR) in acid medium (H2SO4 0.5 M). The morphology, composition and particle size of the electrocatalysts were characterized by physicochemical techniques as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The catalytic activity was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry techniques (CA)Catalizadores de Pd, PdFe y PdCo fueron preparados por el método de impregnación, usando borohidruro de sodio (NaBH4) como agente reductor y un material de carbono comercial, (Vulcan XC-72R) como soporte. Los electrocatalizadores sintetizados fueron probados para la reacción de oxidación de ácido fórmico (FAOR, por sus siglas en inglés) en medio ácido (H2SO4 0,5 M). La morfología, la composición y el tamaño de partícula de los electrocatalizadores se caracterizaron mediante técnicas físico-químicas como difracción de rayos X (XRD), microscopía electrónica de barrido con espectroscopia por energía dispersiva (SEM-EDS) y microscopia electrónica de transmisión (TEM). La actividad catalítica se evaluó mediante técnicas de voltamperometría cíclica (CV) y cronoamperometría (CA

Electrocatalytic performance of palladium-based electrocatalysts supported on carbon nanotubes for formic acid oxidation

In the present work, Pd and PdFe nanoparticles supported on CNT with and without functionalization (CNT and CNTox) were used for Formic Acid Oxidation Reaction (FAOR) in acid media. Electrocatalysts were synthesized by the borohydride reduction method with 20 wt.% metal loading. The CNTs were synthesized by the methane catalytic decomposition, and subjected to an oxidation treatment with nitric acid, named as CNTox. Themorphology, composition and structural properties were studied by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The FAOR was evaluated in acid media in a conventional three-electrode cell by means of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. From the steady state current density, it was found that Pd and PdFe supported at CNTox allowed improving the catalytic activity in comparison with the nonoxidized support.Peer reviewe