title: Clean Synthesis of an Economical 3D Nanochain Network of PdCu Alloy with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Performance towards Ethanol Oxidation.
abstract: A one-pot method for the fast synthesis of a 3D nanochain network (NNC) of PdCu alloy without any surfactants is described. The composition of the as-prepared PdCu alloy catalysts can be precisely controlled by changing the precursor ratio of Pd to Cu. First, the Cu content changes the electronic structure of Pd in the 3D NNC of PdCu alloy. Second, the 3D network structure offers large open pores, high surface areas, and self-supported properties. Third, the surfactant-free strategy results in a relatively clean surface. These factors all contribute to better electrocatalytic activity and durability towards ethanol oxidation. Moreover, the use of copper in the alloy lowers the price of the catalyst by replacing the noble metal palladium with non-noble metal copper. The composition-optimized Pd80 Cu20 alloy in the 3D NNC catalyst shows an increased electrochemically active surface area (80.95 m(2)  g(-1) ) and a 3.62-fold enhancement of mass activity (6.16 A mg(-1) ) over a commercial Pd/C catalyst.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agriculture Microbiology, College of Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Jiawei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agriculture Microbiology, College of Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agriculture Microbiology, College of Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agriculture Microbiology, College of Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agriculture Microbiology, College of Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Zhicheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agriculture Microbiology, College of Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agriculture Microbiology, College of Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 (P.R. China).
authors.forename: Yunpeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agriculture Microbiology, College of Science, College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070 (P.R. China). hyhan@mail.hzau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Heyou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Han
keywords: alloys; copper; electrochemistry; nanostructures; palladium