Surface-clean low-doped PdB/C as superior electrocatalysts toward ethanol oxidation in alkaline media

Abstract Developing highly active, low-cost and organic surfactants-free Pd-based catalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is now critically important for direct ethanol fuel cells. Herein, surface-clean low-doped PdB/C catalysts (typically ca. 1.5 at% of B) are successfully prepared in an aqueous condition without adding any organic surfactants. TEM characterization shows that as-prepared low-doped PdB nanoparticles are evenly distributed on carbon support. Cyclic voltommagrams of as-prepared low-doped PdB/C in 0.5 M NaOH + 1 M C 2 H 5 OH indicate that its onset oxidation potential of ethanol is ca. 80–120 mV more negative than that on commercial Pd/C. Meanwhile, the EOR mass activity of our home-made catalysts is up to 4018 mA⋅mg −1 Pd. Moreover, the durability on low-doped PdB/C catalysts is at most 2 times higher than that on commercial Pd/C. Geometric and electronic effects are adopted to understand the above mentioned enhancement of activity and durability. This work may provide a facile, low-cost and green strategy on preparing electrocatalysts toward EOR in alkaline media.