Sustainable application of pecan nutshell waste: Greener synthesis of Pd-based nanocatalysts for electro-oxidation of methanol

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy 2016-01, Vol.41 (48), p.23329-23335
• Main Authors: Casas Hidalgo, Ana I., Román Aguirre, Manuel, Valenzuela, Edgar, Verde Gomez, José Y., Camacho Dávila, Alejandro, Varma, Rajender S., Ramos Sánchez, Víctor H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alkaline methanol fuel cells; Bimetallic alloy; Green Au–Pd nanoparticles; Microwave-assisted synthesis; Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) shell extract
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.07.275

Palladium-based electrocatalysts are widely used in alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells. The synthesis and characterization of carbon-supported bimetallic nanoparticles (NP) of AuPd and AgPd is described using pecan nutshell extract (Carya illinoinensis) which serves as both, reducing and the stabilizing agent. This environmentally friendly route generates bimetallic NP for a wide range of applications, including electrocatalysis; since particularly AuPd NP proved to be a potentially suitable electrode material for alkaline direct methanol fuel cells. The electrocatalytic activity of these nanomaterials was comparable to commercially available Pd/C 1% in the electro-oxidation of methanol in alkaline media. •Pd-based nanoparticles using pecan nutshell extract (Carya illinoinensis) as reducing and stabilizing agent were synthesized.•Green AuPd/C exhibited electrocatalytic activity to promote methanol oxidation in alkaline media.•Direct assessment of electrocatalytic activity in sols of nanoparticles using screen-printed electrodes was demonstrated. Bimetallic carbon-supported nanoparticles, AuPd/C and AgPd/C, are synthesized using aqueous extract of pecan nutshell waste and their electrocatalytic performance compared to commercial Pd/C for electro-oxidation of methanol in alkaline direct fuel cells. [Display omitted]