Bowl-like carbon supported AuPd and phosphotungstic acid composite for electrooxidation of ethylene glycol and glycerol

Abstract In this study, a novel composite of bowl-like carbon nanomaterial supported AuPd nanoparticles and phosphotungstic acid is prepared. The morphology and chemical composition of the prepared composite are studied by a series of characterizations. Inspired by the development of anode electrocatalyst in direct alcohol fuel cell, the obtained composite is further applied as catalyst for ethylene glycol and glycerol electrooxidation. Electrochemical results show that the optimized composite exhibits enhanced electrocatalytic performance than the commercial Pd/C catalyst, which may promote the practical application in fuel cells.