Preparation and Electrocatalytic Characteristics Research of Pd/C Catalyst for Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell

Abstract

Two kinds of carbon-support 20% Pd/C catalysts for use in direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) have been prepared by an impregnation reduction method using NaBH4 and NaH2PO2 as reductants, respectively, in this study. The catalysts were characterized by XRD and TEM. The results show that the catalysts had been completely reduced, and the catalysts are spherical and homogeneously dispersed on carbon. The electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts was investigated by electrochemical measurements. The results indicate that the catalysts had an average particle size of 3.3 nm and showed the better catalytic performance, when NaBH4 was used as the reducing agent. The electrochemical active surface area of Pd/C (NaBH4) was 56.4 m2·g−1. The electrochemical activity of the Pd/C (NaBH4) was much higher than that of Pd/C (NaH2PO2).