title: Pd nanoparticles on ZnO-passivated porous carbon by atomic layer deposition: an effective electrochemical catalyst for Li-O2 battery.
abstract: Uniformly dispersed Pd nanoparticles on ZnO-passivated porous carbon were synthesized via an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, which was tested as a cathode material in a rechargeable Li-O2 battery, showing a highly active catalytic effect toward the electrochemical reactions-in particular, the oxygen evolution reaction. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed discrete crystalline nanoparticles decorating the surface of the ZnO-passivated porous carbon support in which the size could be controlled in the range of 3-6 nm, depending on the number of Pd ALD cycles performed. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Pd K-edge revealed that the carbon-supported Pd existed in a mixed phase of metallic palladium and palladium oxide. The ZnO-passivated layer effectively blocks the defect sites on the carbon surface, minimizing the electrolyte decomposition. Our results suggest that ALD is a promising technique for tailoring the surface composition and structure of nanoporous supports for Li-O2 batteries.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Labaratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA. Metallurgical Engineering Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
authors.forename: Xiangyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piernavieja-Hermida
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Tianpin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Dean
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zak Fang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amine