Enhanced ethanol electrooxidation of hollow Pd nanospheres prepared by galvanic exchange reactions

In this work hollow Pd nanospheres were successfully synthesized by using galvanic replacement of facile synthesized Cu2O nanospheres with palladium for the first time. The SEM showed the hollow structure of Pd nanospheres and the XRD analysis proved the successful preparation of Pd. This method is surfactant-free, and well-dispersed hollow Pd nanospheres can be obtained through this route. It was found that the hollow Pd nanospheres showed good electrochemical properties and could be used as catalysts in DEFCs. From cyclic voltammograms, the onset potential of hollow Pd nanospheres shifted negatively by 100 mV and the peak current of hollow Pd nanospheres was about two times higher than that of solid Pd nanospheres.

► Galvanic replacement reaction was used to synthesize hollow Pd nanospheres.
► High surface area was obtained.
► Hollow Pd nanospheres showed high electro-catalytic activity.