A UPD-spontaneous redox approach to the preparation of monolayer palladium on reduced graphene oxide-supported gold nanoparticles for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline media

Monolayer Pd on electrochemical-reduced graphene oxide supported Au nanoparticles (m-Pd–Au/ERG) was designed by a simple and effective route, which produces electrocatalyst with a considerably low Pd loading and good electrocatalytic performance for ethanol oxidation. The as-prepared m-Pd–Au/ERG nanocompostie was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results show that high-density m-Pd–Au nanoparticles are dispersed on the surface of ERG uniformly. The electrochemical activities of the as-prepared nanocomposites toward ethanol oxidation in alkaline media were investigated by using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometric technique. The results demonstrate that the m-Pd–Au/ERG catalyst shows much higher electrocatalytic activity, stronger tolerance to CO than the m-Pd–Au and b-Pd–Au/ERG catalysts for ethanol oxidation.

► ERG promotes the underpotential deposition (UPD) of Cu on Au nanoparticles.
► We design monolayer Pd on ERG supported Au nanoparticles by UPD-redox process.
► The m-Pd–Au/ERG shows superior electrocatalytic activity and high CO tolerance.