Palladium Nanoparticles Loaded on Carbon Modified TiO2 Nanobelts for Enhanced Methanol Electrooxidation

Abstract

Carbon modified TiO 2 nanobelts (TiO 2 -C) were synthesized using a hydrothermal growth method, as a support material for palladium (Pd) nanoparticles (Pd/TiO 2 -C) to improve the electrocatalytic performance for methanol electrooxidation by comparison to Pd nanoparticles on bare TiO 2 nanobelts (Pd/TiO 2 ) and activated carbon (Pd/AC). Cyclic voltammetry characterization was conducted with respect to saturated calomel electrode (SCE) in an alkaline methanol solution, and the results indicate that the specific activity of Pd/TiO 2 -C is 2.2 times that of Pd/AC and 1.5 times that of Pd/TiO 2 . Chronoamperometry results revealed that the TiO 2 -C support was comparable in stability to activated carbon, but possesses an enhanced current density for methanol oxidation at a potential of −0.2 V vs. SCE. The current study demonstrates the potential of Pd nanoparticle loaded on hierarchical TiO 2 -C nanobelts for electrocatalytic applications such as fuel cells and batteries.