Highly active Pt-Pd alloy catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in buffer solution

Structure-controlled metallic catalysts have been well known to exhibit an improved electrocatalytic activity due to modulated surface structures favourable for electrochemical reactions. We synthesize octahedral Pt-Pd nanoparticles reducing metal ions with glycerol as a reducing agent in an aqueous solution. The octahedral Pt-Pd nanoparticles exhibit dominant (111} facets with homogeneous alloy formation between Pt and Pd atom. For oxygen reduction reaction in buffer solution, the octahedral Pt-Pd alloy electrocatalyst shows highly electrocatalytic activity. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.