Facile synthesis of PdCu nanocluster-assembled granular films as highly efficient electrocatalysts for formic acid oxidation

Developing efficient and stable bimetallic Pd-based anode electrocatalysts toward formic acid oxidation (FAO) is of great significance for commercial applications of direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs). Herein, we report a facile synthesis approach to fabricate PdCu nanoclusters (NCs) catalysts with granular-film structure. The introduction of Cu can adjust the electronic structure and d-band center of Pd, which can improve the catalytic performance of the catalysts. Compared with Pd NCs catalyst, the catalytic durability and activity of PdCu NCs catalysts for FAO are greatly improved. The order for catalytic activity of NC metals is Pd 85 Cu 15 NCs > Pd 70 Cu 30 NCs > Pd NCs. The maximum mass activity can be acquired with the Pd 85 Cu 15 NCs catalyst, which is about 1.7 times that of the Pd NCs catalyst. And Pd 85 Cu 15 NCs catalyst still maintains the highest catalytic current density after 50 cycles, indicating that Pd 85 Cu 15 NCs catalyst has the best durability and electrocatalytic activity for FAO. Our work provides a new prospect for the design of highly efficient anode catalysts materials for DFAFCs. Graphical Abstract