A Facile Synthesis of MPd (M=Co, Cu) Nanoparticles and Their Catalysis for Formic Acid Oxidation

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2012 · Nano Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/nl2045588· OSTI ID:1049863

Mazumder, Vismadeb ^[1]; Chi, Miaofang ^[2]; Mankin, Max ^[1]; Liu, Yi ^[1]; Metin, Onder ^[3]; Sun, Daohua ^[4]; More, Karren Leslie ^[2]; Sun, Shouheng ^[1]

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1. Brown University
2. ORNL
3. Ataturk University
4. Xiamen University, China

Monodisperse CoPd nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and studied for catalytic formic acid (HCOOH) oxidation (FAO). The NPs were prepared by coreduction of Co(acac)2 (acac = acetylacetonate) and PdBr2 at 260 C in oleylamine and trioctylphosphine, and their sizes (5-12 nm) and compositions (Co10Pd90 to Co60Pd40) were controlled by heating ramp rate, metal salt concentration, or metal molar ratios. The 8 nm CoPd NPs were activated for HCOOH oxidation by a simple ethanol wash. In 0.1 M HClO4 and 2 M HCOOH solution, their catalytic activities followed the trend of Co50Pd50 > Co60Pd40 > Co10Pd90 > Pd. The Co50Pd50 NPs had an oxidation peak at 0.4 V with a peak current density of 774 A/gPd. As a comparison, commercial Pd catalysts showed an oxidation peak at 0.75 V with peak current density of only 254 A/gPd. The synthesis procedure could also be extended to prepare CuPd NPs when Co(acac)2 was replaced by Cu(ac)2 (ac = acetate) in an otherwise identical condition. The CuPd NPs were less active catalysts than CoPd or even Pd for FAO in HClO4 solution. The synthesis provides a general approach to Pd-based bimetallic NPs and will enable further investigation of Pd-based alloy NPs for electro-oxidation and other catalytic reactions.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); Shared Research Equipment Collaborative Research Center
• Sponsoring Organization: SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1049863
• Journal Information: Nano Letters, Journal Name: Nano Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 12; ISSN 1530-6984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ALLOYS
CATALYSIS
CATALYSTS
CURRENT DENSITY
ETHANOL
FORMIC ACID
HEATING
OXIDATION
SYNTHESIS