Highly active nanostructured palladium-ceria electrocatalysts for the hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline medium

We report an interesting new class of bifunctional electrocatalysts, Pd/C-CeO2, with excellent activity and stability for the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) under alkaline conditions. The unique structure of palladium deposited onto a mixed support of Vulcan XC-72 carbon and CeO2 consists of Pd metal preferable deposited on the ceria regions of the catalyst. The CeO2-Pd interaction leads to enhanced HOR kinetics and increased stability. Here we compare catalysts with three different Pd loadings and show that the 10 wt% Pd sample has optimized activity. Hydrogen pumping and fuel cell experiments based on this catalyst show higher activities as compared to a Pd/C sample without ceria. Metal dissolution tests and identical location transmission microscopy experiments show that the catalyst stability under harsh potential cycling experiments in alkaline medium is significantly improved as compared to Pd/C, making this material one of the best options for use as highly active and highly stable electrocatalysts for the HOR in anion exchange membrane fuel cells.