PdPb bimetallic nanowires as electrocatalysts for enhanced ethanol electrooxidation

Less-expensive but efficient electrocatalysts are essential to accelerate the commercialization of fuel cells. Herein, ultrathin PdPb nanowires (PdPb NWs) with a diameter of around 3.5 nm were prepared by using a one-step hydrothermal method. The introduction of Pb in Pd-based bimetallic nanostructures produced high differences in the morphology from Pd nanoparticles (NPs) to various PdPb NWs. All the as-prepared PdPb NWs exhibited better electrocatalytic activity and durability than Pd NPs due to the synergistic effect. Especially, Pd 65 Pb 35 possessed the highest current density of about 3460 mA mg Pd −1 for the ethanol electrooxidation which was around 6.3 times higher than commercial Pd/C. The high-performance of Pd 65 Pb 35 is attributed to the defect-rich and stable nanowire structure with optimized surface atomic arrangement, as evidenced by high resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements and long-time treatment in an acidic media. The differences in the morphologies and electrocatalytic activities of PdPb NWs with varied Pb contents have also been discussed and analyzed.