Engineering two-dimensional nanobranch architecture in PdAuAg for enhanced ethanol electrooxidation
Abstract
surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) reveals that the catalyst selectively promotes the C2 pathway for ethanol oxidation to acetic acid, with no detectable C-C bond cleavage, thereby elucidating the origin of its high operational efficiency. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) simulations suggest that a higher surface coverage of hydroxyl radicals (OH) in the alkaline environment makes a key reaction step in this pathway more energetically favorable. The enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic interplay of the ternary composition, which modulates the electronic structure, and the unique 2D branched morphology, which provides a high density of active sites and facilitates mass transport. This work highlights the profound impact of morphological control in conjunction with multimetallic engineering for advancing electrocatalyst design.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion
Electrochemical sensors and biosensors
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Dalton Transactions
- Publisher
- Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 2060–2070
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN