Palladium nanoparticles anchored on Schiff base metal complex derived heteroatom-doped carbon materials for boosting ethanol electrooxidation

Designing appropriate support for noble metal-based catalyst has consistently been an effective strategy to improve the catalytic activity of ethanol electrooxidation reaction (EOR). Here, a novel heteroatom-doped carbon (HDC) material has been prepared by calcination of Schiff base metal complex precursor. The HDC-750 prepared at the optimum temperature (750 °C) has a three-dimensional structure with large specific surface area and unique pores. When the HDC-750 is used as a support for palladium nanoparticles, it can improve the conductivity of catalysts, the permeability of electrolyte and intermediates, and increase the number of anchoring points of palladium nanoparticles. Due to its unique three-dimensional structure and the synergistic enhancement effect of strong metal support interaction between Pd and HDC-750, the Pd/HDC-750 catalyst exhibits high electrochemical active surface area (23.94 m2 gPd−1) and excellent EOR activity (146.3 mA cm−2), which is as high as 2.1 and 3.0 times of that for the Pd/C. After 3600 s durability test, the Pd/HDC-750 shows a high current density of 9.9 mA cm−2, while Pd/C shows only 1.3 mA cm−2.