Mechanistic study of ethanol oxidation on Pd–NiO/C electrocatalyst

NiO supported Pt/C and Pd/C electrocatalysts have been prepared by IMH method. The ethanol oxidation on Pd–NiO/C electrocatalyst is tested in an ethanol solution with or without the presence of CO. The results show that the oxidation of CO on Pd–NiO/C electrocatalyst needs higher overpotential than that on Pt–NiO/C electrocatalyst. However, the peak area of the CO oxidation on the Pd–NiO/C electrocatalyst is much lower and the influence of CO on the performance of ethanol oxidation is small. The higher activity and less poisoning of the Pd–NiO/C electrocatalyst than that of the Pt–NiO/C electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation is possibly due to the lower CO coverage on the Pd–NiO/C electrocatalyst that leads to the favorable adsorption of ethanol instead of CO and consequently the less poisoning effect.