Methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) has been studied on the low index planes of Pd (Pd(111), Pd(100) and Pd (110)) in 0.1 M HClO 4 using voltammogram. Onset potential of methanol oxidation increases as Pd (110)~Pd(100) < Pd(111). The activity for the MOR is estimated using anodic peak current density of the voltammograms. The order of the activity is Pd(111)~Pd(110) B Pd(100): (100) surface enhances the activity for the MOR on Pd electrodes.

Fe-Nb/SiO 2 catalyst was prepared from NbCl 5 or peroxoniobic acid as Nb precursors. These precursor catalysts were nitrided by the TPR method under N 2 -H 2 passage (without using NH 3 ). Nb K-edge in-situ XAFS measurements were carried out during the nitriding process and revealed that the Nb species was more nitrided in the Fe-Nb/SiO 2 catalyst prepared from peroxoniobic acid than in that prepared from NbCl 5 as Nb precursor.