Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Activity Evaluation of Nanoflower Shaped Ni-Pd on Alcohol Oxidation Reaction

Abstract

We are reporting a synthesis of nickel and palladium (Ni-Pd) nanoflowers with excellent size and Calendula-like shapes using a wet-chemistry method for efficient alcohol oxidation reaction (AOR). The nanoflower structure has shown to have electrocatalytic activity to monohydric shorter carbon chain containing alcohols (C1-C4; methanol, ethanol, propanol and n-butanol). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal that the Ni-Pd nanoflowers catalyst has different electronic behavior due to flower-like structure and comparatively higher degree of alloy formation. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed a Calendula flower-like shape and crystalline structure of Ni-Pd. The electrochemical properties of the catalyst have been evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) in 1 M KOH electrolyte. For the first time, a comparative kinetic analysis has been investigated between four alcohol's catalysis. The higher electrocatalytic activity has increased in the order of C3 > C4 > C1 > C2. The overall AOR kinetic study has determined that the Ni-Pd is favorable due to Ni mediated alloyed formation and flower-like structure.