Electrochemical formation of palladium nanoparticles in a salicylate-based hydrophilic ionic liquid: The effect of additives on particle morphology and electrochemical behavior

• Pd nanoparticles were prepared using potentiostatic electrolysis in ionic liquid.
• Additives such as cationic surfactants and PAMAM dendrimer were used.
• Additives show significant effects on morphology of Pd nanoparticles.
• Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) were used for electrochemical ethanol oxidation.
• PdNPs with different additives show different behavior on ethanol oxidation.

Palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) were prepared via potentiostatic electrolysis using Pt gauze electrode in the room temperature ionic liquid 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium salicylate (RTIL BMP-SAL) containing PdCl2 with/without additives of cationic surfactants and PAMAM dendrimer. PdNPs were directly formed and dispersed in the IL during the electrolysis, which was mixed with graphite powder (GP) to prepare the IL–PdNPs–GP composite electrode for the electrochemical oxidation of ethanol in alkaline solutions. Introducing additives into the IL significantly affected the morphology and electrochemical behavior of the PdNPs. A facile approach of metal nanoparticle preparation can be developed based on this study.

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