Interface synergism and engineering of Pd/Co@N-C for direct ethanol fuel cells

Abstract Direct ethanol fuel cells have been widely investigated as nontoxic and low-corrosive energy conversion devices with high energy and power densities. It is still challenging to develop high-activity and durable catalysts for a complete ethanol oxidation reaction on the anode and accelerated oxygen reduction reaction on the cathode. The materials’ physics and chemistry at the catalytic interface play a vital role in determining the overall performance of the catalysts. Herein, we propose a Pd/Co@N-C catalyst that can be used as a model system to study the synergism and engineering at the solid-solid interface. Particularly, the transformation of amorphous carbon to highly graphitic carbon promoted by…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: DMR 1905572, MRI: XPS: ECCS: 1726636, CAREER, ECCS: 1726636, 1726636, 1905572, CBET-1651625, 1651625
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy

  Award: 68278
• UO
  University of Central Florida

  Award: 1726636
• UO
  University of Pittsburgh
• OO
  Office of Science

  Award: 68278
• AC
  American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund

  Award: 65481-ND10
• CF
  Center for Research Computing, University of Pittsburgh
• DO
  Division of Materials Research

  Awards: DMR 1905572, 1905572
• DO
  Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems

  Award: CBET-1651625
• DO
  Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems

  Award: 1726636
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Awards: award # 68278, 68278
• BA
  Biological and Environmental Research
• PN
  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory