Influence of physicochemical characteristics of carbon supports on Pd ethanol oxidation catalysts

Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) have the potential to play a valuable role in the conversion of energy from sustainable sources. DEFCs need a support matrix, typically carbon, for the noble metal catalyst. In this work, two distinct carbon supports are compared and their electrochemical efficacy is related to their physicochemical characteristics. Specifically, Vulcan (Cv) is compared to Selectivity (Cs) as a support for Pd nanoparticles to catalyze ethanol electrooxidation. Characterisation data show that Cs has potentially favorable properties such as a high surface area. However, Pd/Cv exhibits a superior catalytic performance due to the higher adequacy of Cv texture that meets the particular needs of DEFC support in terms of pore size distribution. Additionally, synthesis of Pd nanoparticles on both carbons has decreased their surface areas and increased their pore sizes.