Palladium on yttrium-embedded carbon nanofibers as electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in acidic media

Abstract

Pd-Y alloy nanoparticle-embedded carbon nanofiber (CNF) were sequentially synthesized by electrospinning a solution mixture containing Y precursor and polyacrylonitrile, stabilization, carbonization at 1200 °C, activation, and impregnation of Pd. The CNF acted as catalytic supports and templates, retaining the nanoparticle size at high temperatures

under these conditions, other nanomaterials would easily aggregate or sinter. To expose the surface of Y nanoparticles embedded into the CNF (Y-ACNF), mild and selective oxidation was conducted. The impregnated Pd exhibited the excellent degree of alloying with and dispersion on Y-ACNF, leading to outstanding activity with four-electron reaction of Pd3/Y-ACNF for oxygen reduction reaction comparable to commercial platinum-based catalysts.