Improved Ethylene Glycol Electro-Oxidation Using <i>x</i>Pt<i>y</i>Pd Electrocatalysts on Aza-BODIPY-Modified Carbon Black

This study presents an innovative approach for synthesizing bimetallic platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd) electrocatalysts supported on aza-boron-dipyrromethene (aza-BODIPY, or DP)-modified carbon black (DP-C) to enhance the catalytic oxidation of ethylene glycol (EG) in alkaline media. DP as a modifier optimizes the interaction between active metal nanoparticles and the support, improving catalytic activity. Pt and Pd alloy nanoparticles were electrodeposited on DP-C via cyclic voltammetry (CV), forming the catalyst denoted as <i>x</i>Pt<i>y</i>Pd/DP-C. The catalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), revealing spherical nanoparticles with varying active surface areas. Electrochemical tests, including CV, chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), show that <i>x</i>Pt<i>y</i>Pd/DP-C exhibits superior EG oxidation performance, electron transfer, CO resistance, and durability. The mass and specific activities of PtPdPtPd/DP-C for EG oxidation were 1.4 and 1.2 times higher than Pt/C. Chemical doping of carbon with heteroatoms tailors its properties, enhancing its performance as a support for formation of active electrodeposited metals. This work provides a promising strategy for developing high-performance anode catalysts for direct ethylene glycol fuel cells.