Christmas-Tree-Shaped Palladium Nanostructures Decorated on Glassy Carbon Electrode for Ascorbic Acid Oxidation in Alkaline Condition

Abstract

Christmas-tree-shaped Pd nanostructures were synthesized using a simple one-step electrodeposition method with no additives on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface. Growth of the hierarchical nanostructures was optimized through the applied potential, deposition time, and precursor concentration. Comprehensive characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to characterize structural features of the Christmas-tree-shaped Pd nanostructures. Our Christmas-tree-shaped Pd nanostructures showed excellent catalytic activity for ascorbic acid (AA) electro-oxidation in the alkaline condition. The modified electrode exhibited current density of 4.5 mA cm−2: much higher than that of unmodified GCE (0.6 mA cm−2). This simple electrodeposition technique with well-defined hierarchical Pd nanostructures is expected to offer new perspectives using Pd-based nanostructured surfaces in different research areas.