The commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) is hindered by platinum dependency, catalyst degradation, and high costs. This work addresses these challenges by developing carbon-supported trimetallic PdAuM/C (M = Rh, Ir, Ag) electrocatalysts for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Through a controlled synthesis protocol, PdAuM/C nanoparticles (3.1-6.7 nm) with alloyed structures were characterized by XRD, TEM, EDX, and XPS. Electrochemical analyses (CV, CA, EIS) in alkaline media revealed unprecedented EOR activity: PdAuRh/C achieved a peak current density of 10,500 mA·mg⁻¹Pd and onset potential of - 680 mV vs. NHE-5.8× higher current and 195 mV lower overpotential than monometallic Pd/C (1,800 mA·mg⁻¹Pd, - 485 mV). PdAuIr/C and PdAuAg/C also outperformed Pd/C, though PdAuAg exhibited a typical dual oxidation peaks. The synergistic electronic effects in PdAuRh/C minimized CO poisoning and maximized active sites, positioning it as a sustainable, high-performance alternative to Pt-based catalysts for DEFCs.
Elsheikh et al. (Mon,) studied this question.