The high performance mushroom-like Pd@SnO2/Ni foam electrode for H2O2 reduction in alkaline media

A novel mushroom-like electrode (Pd@SnO2/Ni foam) is designed and prepared through two step method including of a simple hydrothermal process and an electrodeposition technology. Rutile SnO2 nanorod arrays grow vertically on the Ni foam surface with diameters of around 40 nm, lengths up to around 300 nm and Pd nanoparticles decorate on the top of SnO2 nanorods to form a mushroom-like electrode structure with SnO2 as stem and Pd nanoparticles as mushroom head. The Pd@SnO2/Ni foam electrode exhibits superior catalytic activity and excellent stability at the higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide(H2O2). The reduction current density achieves successfully 320 mA cm−2 at −0.54 V, and it changes barely during 800 potential cycles in 0.5 mol L−1 H2O2 + 3.0 mol L−1 NaOH. The improved performance suggests its promising application as an efficient electrode for H2O2-based fuel cells.