Atomically deviated Pd-Te nanoplates boost methanol-tolerant fuel cells
Ying Zhang, Bolong Huang, Gan Luo, Tu Sun, Yonggang Feng, Yucheng Wang, Yanhang Ma, Qi Shao, Yafei Li, Zhiyou Zhou, Xiaoqing Huang
Abstract
phase that simultaneously overcome the activity and methanol-tolerant issues in alkaline DMFC. Because of the specific arrangement of Pd atoms deviated from typical hexagonal close-packing, Pd-Te HPs/C displays extraordinary methanol tolerance with high ORR performance compared with commercial Pt/C. DFT calculations reveal that the high performance of Pd-Te HPs can be attributed to the breakthrough of the linear relationship between OOH* and OH* adsorption, which leaves sufficient room to improve the ORR activity but suppresses the methanol oxidation reaction. The concurrent high ORR activity and excellent methanol tolerance endow Pd-Te HPs as practical electrocatalysts for DMFC and beyond.