One-step fabrication of a highly dispersed palladium nanoparticle-decorated reduced graphene oxide electrocatalyst for methanol electro-oxidation in acidic media

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was successfully decorated with homogeneous highly dispersed palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) by a novel single-step hydrothermal-assisted formic acid reduction reaction without the use of any surfactants. The structure, surface morphology, and elemental composition of the as-prepared PdNP-RGO electrocatalyst were extensively characterized. The PdNP-RGO electrocatalyst demonstrated outstanding electrocatalytic activity (8.65 mA/cm2) toward the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in an acidic medium that is 1.4 times higher than PdNP-decorated Vulcan XC72 (6.2 mA/cm2) and also comparable with that of Pd-based electrocatalysts in alkaline media from the previous reports. Furthermore, the as-prepared PdNP-RGO electrocatalyst also shows remarkable stability performance for the MOR in an acidic medium and thus offer new insights into the processing method of an outstanding electrocatalyst at the anode electrode in the direct methanol fuel cell with reasonable cost, clean and facile synthesis approach. [Display omitted] •A PdNP-RGO electrocatalyst was synthesized by a single-step process without any surfactants.•The single-step hydrothermal formic acid reduction reaction is effective, rapid, and simple.•Soft and nonmetal formic acid was used as the reductant.•Highly uniform dispersion of PdNPs on RGO was obtained by this facile method.•The PdNP–RGO exhibits superior catalytic activity and enhanced stability for the methanol oxidation reaction.