Pd, Pd-Ni and Pd-Ni-Fe nanoparticles anchored on MnO2/Vulcan as efficient ethanol electro-oxidation anode catalysts

Pd-Ni-Fe nanoparticles supported on MnO2/Vulcan XC-72 R (carbon black powder) as the electrocatalyst for the anodic oxidation of ethanol in a direct ethanol alkaline fuel cell (DEAFC) has been conducted. Electrocatalyst structures and morphologies are investigated by XRD, FE-SEM, EDX and elemental mapping techniques and subsequently electro-chemical performance of electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) are studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Pd/MnO2/Vulcan, Pd-Ni/MnO2/Vulcan and Pd-Ni-Fe/MnO2/Vulcan efficiently advanced ethanol electro-oxidation reaction under alkaline conditions. Pd/MnO2/Vulcan revealed best potential window and low charge transfer resistance (R-ct) for EOR. Pd-Ni/MnO2/Vulcan and Pd-Ni-Fe/MnO2/Vulcan electrocatalysts have a good anti CO-poisoning capability. Pd-Ni-Fe/MnO2/Vulcan has significantly high current density, excellent catalyst durability and cyclic stability for ethanol oxidation which encourage researchers for application of such exceptional materials as anode electrocatalysts in DEFC. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.