Exploring superior catalysts with high catalytic activity and durability is of significant for the development of an electrochemical device involving the oxygen reduction reaction. This work describes the synthesis of Pt-on-Pd bimetallic heterogeneous nanostructures, and their high electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Pt nanoclusters with a size of 1-2 nm were generated on Pd nanorods (NRs) through a modified Cu underpotential deposition (UPD) process free of potential control and a subsequent surface-limited redox reaction. The Pt nanocluster decorated Pd nanostructure with a ultralow Pt content of 1.5 wt % exhibited a mass activity of 105.3 mA mg(-1) (Pt-Pd) toward ORR, comparable to that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst but 4 times higher than that of carbon supported Pd NRs. More importantly, the carbon supported Pt-on-Pd catalyst displays relatively small losses of 16% in electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and 32% in mass activity after 10 000 potential sweeps, in contrast to respective losses of 46 and 64% for the commercial Pt/C catalyst counterpart. The results demonstrated that Pt decoration might be an efficient way to improve the electrocatalytic activity of Pd and in turn allow Pd to be a promising substitution for commercial Pt catalyst.
Keywords: electrocatalyst; heterogeneous nanostructure; oxygen reduction reaction; platinum; underpotential deposition.