One-dimensional Branched PdAg Nanoalloy Rich in Defects for Boosting Glycerol and Ethanol Oxidation

Graphical PdAg nanoalloys (NAs) are successfully synthesized via a facile visible-light-assisted liquid-phase method. The optimized one-dimensional (1D) PdAg NA, abundant in defects, exhibits exceptional electrochemical properties in both glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Furthermore, this study introduces controllable strategies for defect generation in catalysts and clarifies the correlation between defect structure and catalytic efficiency. The development of Pd-based bimetallic nanoalloys (NAs) with abundant active sites for achieving highly efficient electrocatalysis in alcohol oxidation deserves continuous attention. Herein, we utilized a facile visible-light-assisted liquid-phase method involving adjusting reaction time to generate active sites, successfully synthesizing one-dimensional (1D) PdAg NAs rich in defects. The optimized 1D PdAg NA exhibits remarkable electrochemical activity, stability, and antipoisonous properties in glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), far exceeding pure Pd and commercial Pd/C catalysts. Notably, compared to glycerol oxidation (1496 mA mg −1 Pd and 4.13 mA cm −2 ), the optimized PdAg NA demonstrated higher mass activity (2990 mA mg −1 Pd ) and specific activity (7.86 mA cm −2 ) in ethanol oxidation. In summary, this work may provide a strategy for designing low-cost electrocatalysts enriched with defects, thereby promoting the development of high-performance alcohol oxidation reactions.