Continuous flow HER and MOR evaluation of a new Pt/Pd/Co nano electrocatalyst

A new protocol of synthesis (e.g. choose of the solvent, precursors and amount and type of reducing agents) has been designed to prepare a Pt/Pd/Co alloy with a desired metals ratio. The stability of the alloy has been monitored after an acidic washing, to remove, if present, unalloyed metals and pre-leach the surface. An excellent combination of performance, e.g. Tafel slope lower than 30 mV/dec and a negligible overpotential, were measured for our Pt/Pd/Co NPs, with an atomic ratio (7:3:3) in a flow system. Very high hydrogen production rate of 7.09 mL cm−2h−1at −0.05 V was measured. The electrochemical production of hydrogen from liquid methanol in acidic solution was also investigated. The Pt/Pd/Co NPs exhibit an anodic current density of 560 mA/mgPtduring methanol oxidation in acidic solution at 0.45 V and an If/Ibratio of 1.96. A quantitative evaluation of the performance of the electrode in the two different processes has been made, too.