Shape Dependent Catalytic Activity of Palladium Nanocubes for Ethanol Electrooxidation

Monodisperse Pd nanocubes with an average particles size of 10.5 nm (Pd-NCs-11 nm) and 8.4 nm (Pd-NCs-8 nm) and Pd nanospheres with an average particles size of 3.6 nm (Pd-NPs-4 nm) were successfully synthesized by controlling the amount of Br− in the Pd precursor solution. The prepared Pd nanocubes exhibited a much enhanced electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation compared to that of Pd nanospheres. The CV peak current density of ethanol oxidation over Pd-NCs-11 nm is about 39.0-fold as large as that on Pd-NPs-4 nm. The high catalytic activity of Pd nanocubes is attributed to the particular particle shape and the large electrochemical active surface areas (EASA) of Pd nanocubes.