Synergistic combination of Pd nanosheets and porous Bi(OH)3 boosts activity and durability for ethanol oxidation reaction

Highly active and durable Pd-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) play a crucial role in the commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs). However, the poisonous intermediates (especially adsorbed CO species (COad)) formed during the EOR process can easily adsorb and block the active sites on Pd electrodes, which in turn limits the catalytic efficiency. Hence, we present a series of Pd-based composites with a strong coupling interface consisting of Pd nanosheets and amorphous Bi(OH)3 species. The incorporation of Bi(OH)3 can induce an electron-rich state adjacent to the Pd sites and effectively separate the Pd ensemble, leading to excellent CO tolerance. The optimal Pd-Bi(OH)3 NSs catalyst manifests a mass activity of 2.2 A·mgPd−1, which is 5.7 and 2.0 times higher than that of Pd NSs and commercial Pd/C catalyst, respectively. Further CO-stripping experiments and CO-DRIFTS tests confirm the excellent CO tolerance on Pd-Bi(OH)3 NSs electrode, leading to the enhanced EOR durability.