Design of Pd/PANI/Pd Sandwich-Structured Nanotube
Array Catalysts with Special Shape Effects and Synergistic Effects
for Ethanol Electrooxidation
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Abstract
Low cost, high activity, and long-term
durability are the main
requirements for commercializing fuel cell electrocatalysts. Despite
tremendous efforts, developing non-Pt anode electrocatalysts with
high activity and long-term durability at low cost remains a significant
technical challenge. Here we report a new type of hybrid Pd/PANI/Pd
sandwich-structured nanotube array (SNTA) to exploit shape effects
and synergistic effects of Pd-PANI composites for the oxidation of
small organic molecules for direct alcohol fuel cells. These synthesized
Pd/PANI/Pd SNTAs exhibit significantly improved electrocatalytic activity
and durability compared with Pd NTAs and commercial Pd/C catalysts.
The unique SNTAs provide fast transport and short diffusion paths
for electroactive species and high utilization rate of catalysts.
Besides the merits of nanotube arrays, the improved electrocatalytic
activity and durability are especially attributed to the special Pd/PANI/Pd
sandwich-like nanostructures, which results in electron delocalization
between Pd d orbitals and PANI π-conjugated ligands and in electron
transfer from Pd to PANI