Branched platinum-on-palladium bimetallic heteronanostructures supported on reduced graphene oxide for highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction

• Branched Pt-on-Pd bimetallic nanodendrites supported on rGO is prepared by a one-pot wet-chemical approach.
• NP-40 and formic acid are used as a growth-directing agent and a reducing agent, respectively.
• The specific activity and mass activity are 3.99 mA cm−2 and 22.72 mA mg−1 at −0.6 V for ORR, respectively.

In this work, a facile one-pot wet-chemical approach is developed for synthesis of three-dimensional platinum-on-palladium (Pt-on-Pd) bimetallic nanodendrites supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO), where octylphenoxypolye thoxyethanol (NP-40) acts as a growth-directing agent and formic acid serves as a reducing agent under mild conditions. The nanocomposites exhibit enhanced oxygen reduction reaction activity (onset potential of 0.05 V, half-wave potential of −0.15 V, electron transfer number >3.99) and better stability in alkaline media. The diffusion-limited current densities of Pt-on-Pd/rGO at −0.60 V (3.99 mA cm−2 and 22.72 mA mg−1) are much higher than those of PtPd/rGO, Pt/rGO, Pd/rGO, PtPd nanoparticles/rGO, Pt black, Pd black, Pt/C, and Pd/C catalysts. This method is general, facile, and green for preparation of rGO-supporting bimetallic electrocatalysts.

A facile one-pot wet-chemical approach is developed for synthesis of three-dimensional Pt-on-Pd bimetallic nanodendrites supported on reduced graphene oxide, with the assistance of NP-40 as a growth-directing agent and formic acid as a reducing agent.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide