High quality electrocatalyst by Pd–Pt alloys nanoparticles uniformly distributed on polyaniline/carbon nanotubes for effective methanol oxidation

In the present work, Pd–Pt nanoparticle/polyaniline/carbon nanotube (NP/PANI/CNT) composites, synthesized through the uniform distribution of Pd–Pt NPs, whose single size was controlled to 2–4 nm by citric acid, on a PANI/CNT compound, served as the electrode catalysts for effective methanol oxidation. The structural characteristics were identified by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, and revealed that the Pt65Pd35 NP/PANI/CNT composite displayed superior electrocatalytic oxidation performance and vitality in various Pd–Pt NPs. The results indicated that as an excellent anode catalyst the complex would have application prospects for effective methanol oxidation.