Effect of TiO2 and Synthesis Strategies on Formate Oxidation: Electrochemical and Fuel Cell Approaches

Direct formate fuel cells have gained increasing attention since formate can be obtained by CO2 reduction, being shown as a renewable power source. This paper reports the use of Pd nanoparticles supported on physical mixtures of Vulcan carbon and TiO2 in different ratios and different Pd reduction methodologies. The materials were prepared using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent and analyzed toward formate oxidation in alkaline media. The prepared electrocatalysts showed peaks of Pd face-centered cubic and TiO2 anatase and rutile phases and an average particle size between 3.7 and 7.9 nm. Experiments considering formate electro-oxidation (voltammetry and chronoamperometry) showed that the presence of TiO2 is favorably using both synthesis methodologies while single cells revealed Pd nanoparticles supported on physical mixtures of carbon and TiO2, in the proportion of 75:25 as the most efficient, which was explained by the carbon high electrical conductivity and small quantities of TiO2 working as co-catalyst.