This study reports the preparation, characterization, and electrocatalytic properties of palladium-based catalysts containing ceria (CeO 2 ) on carbon black (CB) and onion-like carbon (OLC) supports. The electrocatalysts (Pd− CeO 2 /CB and Pd−CeO 2 /OLC) exhibit a large specific surface area, pore volume, and small particle size, as well as enhanced interfacial interaction and synergy among Pd, CeO 2 , and OLC in Pd−CeO 2 /OLC that are valuable for improved electrocatalysis. The presence of CeO 2 in Pd−CeO 2 /OLC induces ca. 7% defects and modifies the electronic structure of the Pd/OLC interface, significantly improving the electrical conductivity due to enhanced charge redistribution, corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Pd−CeO 2 /OLC displays the lowest adsorption energies (H*, OH*, and OOH*) among the series. For the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), Pd−CeO 2 /OLC delivers significantly enhanced HOR (mass-specific) activities of 4.2 (8.1), 13.2 (29.6), and 15 (78.5) times more than Pd−CeO 2 /CB, Pd/OLC, and Pd/CB, respectively, with the best diffusion coefficient (D) and heterogeneous rate constant (k). Pd−CeO 2 /OLC also displays less degradation during accelerated durability testing. In an anion-exchange-membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) with H 2 fuel, Pd−CeO 2 /OLC achieved the highest peak power density of 1.0 W cm −2 at 3.0 A cm −2 as compared to Pd−CeO 2 /CB (0.9 W cm −2 at 2.2 A cm −2 ), Pd/OLC (0.6 W cm −2 at 1.7 A cm −2 ), and Pd/CB (0.05 W cm −2 at 0.1 A cm −2 ). These results indicate that Pd−CeO 2 /OLC promises to serve as a high-performing and durable anode material for AEMFCs.

Developing bi-functional electrocatalysts for both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for enhancing the energy transfer efficiency of metal-air batteries and fuel cells, as well as producing hydrogen with a high purity. Herein, a series of Pd-Ru alloyed nanoparticles encapsulated in porous carbon nanosheets (CNs) were synthesized and employed as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for both ORR and HER. The TEM measurements showed that Pd-Ru nanoparticles, with a size of approximately 1-5 nm, were uniformly dispersed on the carbon nanosheets. The crystal and electronic structures of the Pd x Ru 100−x /CNs series were revealed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The as-prepared samples exhibited effective ORR activity in alkaline media and excellent HER activity in both alkaline and acid solutions. The Pd 50 Ru 50 /CNs sample displayed the best activity and stability among the series, which is comparable and superior to that of commercial 10% Pd/C. For ORR, the Pd 50 Ru 50 /CNs catalyst exhibited an onset potential of 0.903 V vs. RHE (Reversible Hydrogen Electrode) and 11.4% decrease of the current density after 30,000 s of continuous operation in stability test. For HER, the Pd 50 Ru 50 /CNs catalyst displayed an overpotential of 37.3 mV and 45.1 mV at 10 mA cm −2 in 0.1 M KOH and 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 , respectively. The strategy for encapsulating bimetallic alloys within porous carbon materials is promising for fabricating sustainable energy toward electrocatalysts with multiple electrocatalytic activities for energy related applications.

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