Synthesis of Pd-Based Bimetallic Nanoparticles and Their Effective Electrocatalytic Properties

In this work, we developed a simple and effective one-pot method to synthesize the Pd-based bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). By using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) mapping and X-ray diffraction (XRD), the morphologies and compositions of the as-prepared bimetallic NPs were investigated in detail. Furthermore, this approach was also used to achieve the highly dispersive Pd-based bimetallic NPs directly on the carbon black. Significantly, the as-obtained carbon-supported Pd-based bimetallic NPs showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for the methanol oxidation. Among the Pd-based bimetallic NPs and the commercial Pd–C, the PdPt–C displayed the best electrocatalytic activity and stability, which may be mainly attributed to the specific nanostructure and the synergetic effect between Pt and Pd atoms.