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Comparative study of carbon-supported Pd and PdAg catalysts synthesised by the polyol process and reverse micelles methods

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Abstract

Carbon-supported Pd and PdAg nanoparticles were synthesised by the polyol (P) and reverse micelles (RM) methods for use in a comparative study as catalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline media. The electrocatalysts were physically and chemically characterised by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. Electrochemical characterisation was performed by cyclic voltammetry in the absence and presence of ethanol (0.1, 1, 3 M ethanol), chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical measurements showed that the catalysts obtained by the RM method presented excellent dispersion and small crystal size, resulting in materials with high electro-active area. However, the PdAg/C catalysts prepared by the polyol process presented better catalytic activity and stability during the electro-oxidation reaction. In addition to the excellent dispersion and low agglomeration promoted by the polyol method, catalytic enhancement can also be associated with the synergic effect between Pd and Ag elements.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Mexican CONACYT for financial support and wish to acknowledge Maria Lourdes Palma Tirado from the Instituto de Neurobiologia of Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, campus Juriquilla for support with the TEM images. R. Carrera-Cerritos and A. Armenta-Gonzalez thanks CONACYT for Ph.D. Grant No. 213850 and 208493.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Electroquímica, Parque Tecnológico Querétaro s/n, Sanfandila, C.P. 76703, Pedro Escobedo, Qro, Mexico

    A. J. Armenta-González & L. G. Arriaga

  2. División de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Guanajuato, Noria Alta s/n, Col. Noria Alta, C.P. 36050, Guanajuato, Gto, Mexico

    R. Carrera-Cerritos

  3. División de Investigación y Posgrado, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Centro Universitario Cerro de las Campanas, C.P. 76010, Querétaro, Qro, Mexico

    M. Guerra-Balcázar & J. Ledesma-García

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  1. A. J. Armenta-González
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  2. R. Carrera-Cerritos
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  3. M. Guerra-Balcázar
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  4. L. G. Arriaga
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  5. J. Ledesma-García
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Correspondence to L. G. Arriaga or J. Ledesma-García.

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Armenta-González, A.J., Carrera-Cerritos, R., Guerra-Balcázar, M. et al. Comparative study of carbon-supported Pd and PdAg catalysts synthesised by the polyol process and reverse micelles methods. J Appl Electrochem 45, 33–41 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-014-0776-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-014-0776-x

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