One-pot wet-chemical synthesis of PtPd@Pt nanocrystals supported on reduced graphene oxide with highly electrocatalytic performance for ethylene glycol oxidation

•Uniform PtPd@Pt nanocrystals are well-dispersed on rGO.•Formic acid is employed as the reducing agent, without using any additive.•The one-pot wet-chemical method is simple and environmentally friendly.•The nanocomposites show highly catalytic performance for EGOR in acidic and alkaline media.

Bimetallic core-shell PtPd@Pt nanocrystals were uniformly supported on reduced graphene oxide (PtPd@Pt NCs/rGO) through a facile and green wet-chemical procedure. Formic acid was employed here as the reducing agent, without using any additive (e.g., surfactant, polymer, seed, or template). The as-prepared nanocomposites displayed enlarged electrochemically active surface area, enhanced catalytic activity, high stability and tolerance toward ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) in acidic and alkaline media as compared with commercial Pd/C and Pt/C catalysts. This strategy opens an environmentally friendly way to fabricate other bimetallic catalysts with improved catalytic activity and stability in direct alcohol fuel cells.

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