Enhanced electrocatalytic activity of Pd and Pd-polyaniline nanoparticles on electrochemically exfoliated graphite sheets

Abstract

The catalyst support materials play an important role in improving the performance of electrocatalysts for alcohol oxidation reaction. In this work, flexible graphite sheets containing a large number of edge planes were electrochemically exfoliated by the application of large positive and negative potentials in acetonitrile medium. The process described here produces several surface functional groups on graphite sheet surface. In this work, the utility of such a functionalized surface is explored as a solid support for depositing Pd and Pd-PANI nanostructures which are studied for oxidation of alcohols in alkaline medium. The results show that these electrode materials exhibit an excellent electrocatalytic activity with very high turnover frequency and low activation energy values for ethanol oxidation reaction that has the potential to be used in low temperature polymer membrane alkaline fuel cells.