Assembly of trimetallic palladium-silver-copper nanosheets for efficient C2 alcohol electrooxidation

The synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) alloyed efficient electrocatalysts with several active sites has attracted considerable attention in recent years. In this work, trimetallic palladium-silver-copper (PdAgCu) nanosheet assemblies (NSAs) are synthesized in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and molybdenum hexacarbonyl as the structure-directing agents. The morphologies and structures of the trimetallic PdAgCu NSAs are identified by high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The trimetallic Pd6Ag3Cu2 NSA has high electrocatalytic performance with outstanding long-term stabilities for ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR = 5696 mA mgPd−1) and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR = 4374 mA mgPd−1). The enhanced electrocatalytic activities can be attributed to the synergistic effects, including strain, ligand, and bifunctional effects. Furthermore, the electrocatalytic mechanisms of the trimetallic electrocatalysts toward C2 alcohols are determined, and high concentrations of OH− and C2 alcohols favor EGOR and EOR.