Palladium nanotubes formed by lipid tubule templating and their application in ethanol electrocatalysis

Chemistry. 2015 Apr 13;21(16):6084-9. doi: 10.1002/chem.201406175. Epub 2015 Mar 12.

Abstract

Palladium nanotubes were fabricated by using lipid tubules as templates for the first time in a controlled manner. The positively charged lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammoniumpropane (DOTAP) was doped into lipid tubules to adsorb PdCl4 (2-) on the tubule surfaces for further reduction. The lipid tubule formation was optimized by studying the growing dynamics and ethanol/water ratio. The DOTAP-doped tubules showed pH stability from 0 to 14, which makes them ideal templates for metal plating. The Pd nanotubes are open-ended with a tunable wall thickness. They exhibited good electrocatalytic performance in ethanol. Their electrochemically active surface areas were 6.5, 10.6, and 83.2 m(2) g(-1) for Pd nanotubes with 77, 101, and 150 nm wall thickness, respectively. These Pd nanotubes have great potential in fuel cells. The method demonstrated also opens up a way to synthesize hollow metal nanotubes.

Keywords: electrocatalysis; lipids; nanotubes; palladium; template synthesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Catalysis
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Ethanol / chemistry*
  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nanotechnology
  • Nanotubes / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes / ultrastructure
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Palladium / chemistry*
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / chemistry*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
  • Ethanol
  • Palladium
  • 1,2-dioleoyloxy-3-(trimethylammonium)propane