Palladium nanoparticles anchored on Schiff base metal complex derived heteroatom-doped carbon materials for boosting ethanol electrooxidation

Designing appropriate support for noble metal-based catalyst has consistently been an effective strategy to improve the catalytic activity of ethanol electrooxidation reaction (EOR). Here, a novel heteroatom-doped carbon (HDC) material has been prepared by calcination of Schiff base metal complex precursor. The HDC-750 prepared at the optimum temperature (750 °C) has a three-dimensional structure with large specific surface area and unique pores. When the HDC-750 is used as a support for palladium nanoparticles , it can improve the conductivity of catalysts, the permeability of electrolyte and intermediates, and increase the number of anchoring points of palladium nanoparticles . Due to its unique three-dimensional structure and the synergistic enhancement effect of strong metal support interaction between Pd and HDC-750, the Pd/HDC-750 catalyst exhibits high electrochemical active surface area (23.94 m 2 g Pd −1 ) and excellent EOR activity (146.3 mA cm −2 ), which is as high as 2.1 and 3.0 times of that for the Pd/C. After 3600 s durability test, the Pd/HDC-750 shows a high current density of 9.9 mA cm −2 , while Pd/C shows only 1.3 mA cm − 2 .