Ultrafine Pd ensembles anchored-Au2Cu aerogels boost ethanol electrooxidation

Surface modification of the noble-metal based aerogels from the atomic scale is achieved for the first time. Ultrafine Pd ensembles as the most effective active sites for ethanol oxidation, were successfully anchored on the nanowire surface via kinetically controlled galvanic replacement reaction. The as-anchored Pd-ensembles indeed boosted the ethanol oxidation due to the refined surface geometric structure and compositions.230