Cyclic voltammetry electrodeposition of well-dispersed Pd nanoparticles on carbon paper as a flow-through anode for microfluidic direct formate fuel cells

• Published in: Nanoscale Vol. 12; no. 39; pp. 227 - 2278
• Main Authors: Zhang, Tong, Zhu, Xun, Ye, Ding-Ding, Chen, Rong, Zhou, Yuan, Liao, Qiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 15.10.2020
• Subjects: Anodes; Carbon; Catalysts; Commercialization; Dispersion; Electrodeposition; Electrodes; Fuel cells; Microfluidics; Nanoparticles; Oxidation; Stability; Voltammetry
• ISSN: 2040-3364; 2040-3372; 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/d0nr05134a

The preparation of low-loading and high-performance Pd-based electrodes is required for direct formate fuel cells. In this study, cyclic voltammetry electrodeposition is used to electrodeposit Pd nanoparticles on carbon paper (Pd/CP) and achieve excellent activity and promising stability toward the formate oxidation reaction (FOR). The prepared electrode shows a thin layer of hemispherical and well-dispersed Pd nanoparticles on the fibers of the carbon paper. The open structure and uniform catalyst distribution make the Pd/CP electrode show 2.56-fold higher active area and stability in the FOR as compared with those of commercial Pd/C catalysts. An air-breathing microfluidic direct formate fuel cell (μDFFC) with a Pd/CP electrode used as a flow-through anode is constructed to further assess electrode performance. The Pd/CP electrode with low Pd loading, 0.105 mg cm −2 , delivers a peak power density and limiting current density of 46.6 mW cm −2 (443.8 mW mg −1 Pd ) and 288.4 mA cm −2 , respectively. The performance of the μDFFC is superior to those of most others reported in the literature, further boosting the commercialization of this direct formate fuel cell to power next-generation portable electronics. Cyclic voltammetry electrodeposition of palladium nanoparticles on carbon paper results in high catalytic performance, catalyst utilization and stability for their use in microfluidic direct formate fuel cells.