PdM (M=Fe, Co, Ni) Bimetallic Nanowires Enhances Oxygen Reduction Catalysis in Acid Medium

Abstract The preparation of platinum-free electrocatalysts with ideal oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity is of great significance for cost-effective fuel cells. Herein, we developed a facile method for prepared Pd-based (PdFe, PdCo, PdNi, and Pd) nanowires (PdM NWs) with diameter about 10 nm and length above microns. The mass activity of the series of Pd-based catalysts followed the descending order: PdNi NWs/C > commercial Pt/C > PdCo NWs/C > PdFe NWs/C > pure Pd NWs/C. The optimal half-wave (E 1/2 ) of PdNi NWs/C (839 mV) is positive shift 138 and 25 mV compared with pure Pd NWs/C (701 mV) and commercial Pt/C (814 mV), respectively. The mass activity (MA) of PdNi NWs/C only dropped 28 % after 10000 potential cycles between 0.6-1.1 V versus RHE in acid medium. This work provides a promising and reliable strategy to synthesize high performance Pd-based electrocatalyst, which is promising alternative to expensive Pt-based electrocatalysts for fuel cells.