Design, synthesis and investigations of Pd x Sn 1-x nanoparticle-impregnated NiTiO 3 as highly active electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation reaction in alkaline medium

This work investigated the improved electrocatalytic performance of PdSn nanoparticle-impregnated NiTiO 3 heterostructured nanocomposites. The electrocatalyst PdSn uses NiTiO 3 as active support material for methanol oxidation. The PdSn-NiTiO 3 was prepared by a microwave-assisted polyol method with four different loadings of Sn with respect to Pd. The NiTiO 3 possessed a rhombohedral-structured ilmenite crystalline phase, and the PdSn nanoparticles had the cubic phase. The average particle size of PdSn nanoparticles was 9 nm. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has shown two oxidation states for the cations in NiTiO 3 , which has left its surface with oxygen vacancies. Electrochemical tests have demonstrated that the PdSn-NiTiO 3 /C electrocatalyst exhibited good electrocatalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation in an alkaline medium. Of the four combinations tested, the Pd 0.4 Sn 0.6 -NT has performed the best electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation due to its high current density and better stability. Graphical Abstract