Electrophoretic deposition of network-like carbon nanofibers as a palladium catalyst support for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media

A network-like carbon nanofiber (CNF) film with an open porous structure formed by the open space between entangled CNFs is fabricated by electrophoretic deposition. The performance of the CNF film as an electrocatalyst in the presence of electrodeposited Pd nanoparticles for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media is investigated. Cyclic voltammetric analyses show the electrocatalyst has a good electrocatalytic activity toward ethanol oxidation in KOH solution. This is believed to be due to the high dispersion of Pd on the CNF film with a three-dimensional network structure which can provide a large number of available Pd active sites for ethanol oxidation, and to the structural and electrical properties of the film.