Oxygen kinetics and mechanism at electrocatalysts on the base of palladium–iron system

Binary nanodispersed carbon XC72 supported PdFe catalysts with different atomic palladium-to-iron ratios are synthesized and studied in oxygen reduction reaction in acid solution at 60 °C. The Pd:Fe ratio was well controlled by the initial concentrations of Pd and Fe in the precursor solutions. The nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The optimum Pd:Fe ratio for this reaction was determined to be 3:1.The comparison of activities of the catalysts with component ratios equaled 3:1 and 10:1 is shown that the activities are differed from each other by 10–15 times in advantage of catalyst with lesser content of palladium. This phenomenon can be related to the different particle size of both catalysts and different distribution of particles by size discovered by TEM method. The achievement of maximum activity near the ratio of Pd:Fe = 3:1 is due to as effect of alloy-forming and the influence of binary system component ratio and synthesis conditions on dispersity degree of metallic phase nanoparticles. Under optimal conditions of precursor mixture high-temperature pyrolysis, iron produces the stabilizing effect palladium. It gives rise to obtaining the uniform and finely divided (7–8 nm) metallic particles.