Microwave-assisted synthesis of sulfur-doped graphene supported PdW nanoparticles as a high performance electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction

•Sulfur-doped graphene (SG) is prepared by a microwave-assisted irradiation method.•PdW alloy nanocrystals are supported on sulfur-doped graphene.•The PdW/SG is employed as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction.•The electrocatalyst shows a significant improvement in activity compared with Pd-SG and Pd-G.

Sulfur-doped graphene (SG) is synthesized by a simple microwave irradiation method and PdW nanoparticles are grown in situ on SG. The electrocatalyst shows excellent activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution and the reaction kinetics investigation shows that PdW-SG follows a four-electron transfer process in ORR, which is much better than Pd-SG or Pd-G. The improved catalytic performance may result from the changes in the electronic structure when Pd alloys with W as well as the strong interactions between the PdW nanoparticles and SG.