Oxygen vacancy-regulated MXene-supported PdSn bimetallic catalyst for efficient methanol oxidation reaction

Direct methanol fuel cells show promise for portable electronic products, thanks to their considerable energy density and safety. However, their commercialization is hindered by challenges such as sluggish methanol oxidation reaction kinetics, high catalyst costs, and CO poisoning. This study addresses these issues by developing an oxygen vacancy-regulated MXene-supported PdSn bimetallic catalyst (PdSn/ V o -Ti 3 C 2 ) for efficient methanol oxidation reaction. The MXene support, engineered with controlled oxygen vacancies via electrodeposition, enhances electron transfer and distributes PdSn nanoparticles. The resulting PdSn/ V o -Ti 3 C 2 catalyst exhibits an outstanding electrochemical performance with mass activity of 1641 mA mg −1 , which is 3.6, 8.6, and 4.3 times as high as those of Pd/ V o -Ti 3 C 2 , Pd/Ti 3 C 2 and commercial Pd/C, respectively. Moreover, the prepared PdSn/ V o -Ti 3 C 2 catalyst also exhibits high stability. The work underscores the capability of defect engineering within MXene supports to disperse nanoparticles, which act as catalysts in direct methanol fuel cells.