Defect-rich Pd@PdOs nanobelts for electrocatalytic oxidation of ethylene glycol

Abstract

Reasonable design and development of catalysts with specific components and morphologies can effectively improve the catalytic performance of nanomaterials. Here, we propose a controllable strategy to prepare atomically thin defect-rich Pd@PdOs nanobelts (Pd@PdOs NBs) with a thickness of 1.8 nm for ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR). Due to the abundant structural defects and extended active sites, Pd@PdOs NBs show excellent activity and stability in the EGOR. The mass activity and specific activity of Pd@PdOs NBs are 1.45 A mg⁻¹ and 1.78 mA cm⁻², marking a remarkable 3.1 times and 1.8 times increase compared to those of commercial Pd black catalysts. This breakthrough paves the way for the deliberate design and fabrication of defect-rich, atomically thin metal nanobelts for highly efficient electrocatalytic applications.