Enhancing the Catalytic Activity of Pd Nanocatalysts for Anion Exchange Membrane Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells by Functionalizing Vulcan XC-72 with Cu Organometallic Compounds
The most widely used support in low-temperature fuel cell applications is the commercially available Vulcan XC-72. Herein, we report its functionalization with the home-obtained mesityl copper (Cu-mes) and Cu coordinate (Cu(dmpz)L2) organometallic compounds. Pd nanoparticles are anchored on the supports obtaining Pd/C<sub>Cu-mes</sub>, Pd/C<sub>Cu(dmpz)L2</sub>, and Pd/C (on nonfunctionalized support). The polarization curves of the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) show that Pd/C<sub>Cu-mes</sub> and Pd/C<sub>Cu(dmpz)L2</sub> promote the reaction at a more negative onset potential, i.e., <i>E</i> <sub>onset</sub> = 0.38 V/reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), compared to 0.41 V/RHE of Pd/C. The mass current density (<i>j</i> <sub>m</sub>) delivered by Pd/C<sub>Cu-mes</sub> is considerably higher (1231.3 mA mg<sub>Pd</sub> <sup>-1</sup>), followed by Pd/C<sub>Cu(dmpz)L2</sub> (1001.8 mA mg<sub>Pd</sub> <sup>-1</sup>), and Pd/C (808.3 mA mg<sub>Pd</sub> <sup>-1</sup>). The enhanced performance of Pd/C<sub>Cu-mes</sub> and Pd/C<sub>Cu(dmpz)L2</sub> for the EOR (and tolerance to CO poisoning) is attributed to a shift of their d-band center toward more negative values, compared to Pd/C, because of the formation of PdCu alloyed phases arising from the functionalization. In addition, laboratory-scale tests of the anion exchange membrane-direct ethanol fuel cell assembled with Pd/C<sub>Cu-mes</sub> show the highest open circuit voltage (OCV = 0.60 V) and cell power density (<i>P</i> <sub>cell</sub> = 0.14 mW cm<sup>-2</sup>). As a result of its high catalytic activity, Pd/C<sub>Cu-mes</sub> can find application as an anode nanocatalyst in AEM-DEFCs.
Authors
- Têko W. Napporn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1506-7139)
- B. Escobar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3295-3781)
- F.J. Rodríguez‐Varela (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1042-7628)
- W. J. Pech-Rodríguez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7048-1856)
- M.E. Sánchez‐Castro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2040-8786)
- Manuel Octavio Fuentez‐Torres
- P. C. Meléndez-González (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5270-9925)
- Ivonne Liliana Alonso-Lemus (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8673-4387)
Institutions
- Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PR)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Université de Poitiers (FR)
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et des Matériaux de Poitiers (FR)
- Secretaría de Investigación, Innovación y Educación Superior (MX)
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACS Applied Nano Materials
- Published
- 2024-08-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.4c02670
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.31
Funders
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología
- Conseil Régional Aquitaine
- European Regional Development Fund