Synthesis and characterization of corannulene-metal-organic framework support material for palladium catalyst: an excellent anode material for accelerated methanol oxidation

Abstract

This work focuses to ease the challenge in electro-oxidation of methanol for the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) using a well-defined efficient electrocatalyst. The proposed electrocatalyst is designed using the ZIF-67-Corannulene composite support decorated with palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) for the first time for the methanol oxidation reaction. Structural and morphological characterization was carried out using UV–vis, FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDS, XPS, and ICP-OES analysis. The catalytic performance of the designed catalyst towards methanol oxidation was studied in an alkaline medium. The electrochemical properties, catalytic activity, and long-term stability performance of the PdNPs@ZIF-67-Corannulene catalyst were assessed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry. The formation of intermediates during the electrooxidation of methanol was confirmed by in-situ FT-IR measurements and the mechanism of methanol oxidation at the catalyst was proposed. Furthermore, owing to the synergetic effect of PdNPs, unique structure of ZIF-67-Corannulene support, the as-synthesized catalyst has demonstrated large electrochemical surface area (ECSA = 114.6 m2g−1), notably higher electrocatalytic activity (If = 90.2 mAcm-2) and enhanced long term stability. The proposed research opens new channels for the development of high-performance stable catalysts based on new carbon material: Corannulene.