Carbon- and Binder-Free Core–Shell Nanowire Arrays for Efficient Ethanol Electro-Oxidation in Alkaline Medium

To achieve high electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and avoid carbon support and binder in the anode catalyst of direct ethanol fuel cell, herein, we design freestanding core–shell nickel@palladium–nickel nanowire arrays (Ni@Pd–Ni NAs) without carbon support and binder for high-efficiency ethanol electro-oxidation. Bare Ni nanowire arrays (Ni NAs) are first prepared using the facile template-assistant electrodeposition method. Subsequently, the Ni@Pd–Ni NAs are formed using one-step solution-based alloying reaction. The optimized Ni@Pd–Ni NA electrode with a high ECSA of 64.4 m2 g–1 Pd exhibits excellent electrochemical performance (peak current density: 622 A g–1 Pd) and cycling stability for ethanol electro-oxidation. The facilely obtained yet high-efficiency core–shell Ni@Pd–Ni NA electrode is a promising electrocatalyst, which can be utilized for oxygen reduction reaction, urea, hydrazine hydrate, and hydrogen peroxide electro-oxidation, not limited to the ethanol electro-oxidation.