PdxFey alloy nanoparticles decorated on carbon nanofibers with improved electrocatalytic activity for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline media

Abstract

Bimetallic Pd_xFe_y alloy nanoparticles/carbon nanofiber (CNF) composites with different Pd/Fe mole ratios were successfully prepared by one-pot electrospinning of Pd and Fe precursors in polyacrylonitrile followed by pyrolysis. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were applied to characterize the structure of the Pd_xFe_y/CNF nanocomposite catalyst, revealing good dispersion as well as modification of the electronic properties of Pd. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry showed significantly high ethanol electrooxidation activity and stability in an alkaline environment for the Pd_xFe_y/CNF nanocomposites, compared to that of the commercial Pd/C and Pd/CNF catalysts, respectively. Thus, the prepared Pd_xFe_y/CNF catalyst can be considered as a promising anode catalyst for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells.