biostudies-literatureBhalothia DMinistry of Science and Technology, Taiwan17302-17310https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9053473biostudies-literatureUnknown10(29)The alteration of surface functional properties <i>via</i> incorporation of foreign atoms is supposed to be a key strategy for the enhanced catalytic performance of noble-metal based nanocatalysts (NCs). In the present study, carbon-supported palladium (Pd)-based NCs including Pd, PdPt and PdRuPt have been prepared <i>via</i> a polyol reduction method under the same reduction conditions as for formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR) applications. By cross-referencing the results of the microscopic, spectroscopic and electrochemical analysis we demonstrated that adding a small amount of platinum (Pt) into Pd NCs (<i>i.e.</i> PdPt NCs) significantly promotes the FAOR performance as compared to that of Pd NCs <i>via</i> weakening the CO^ads bond strength at a lower voltage (0.875 V <i>vs.</i> NHE) than Pd (0.891 V <i>vs.</i> NHE). Of special relevance, the PdPt NC shows a mass activity (MA) of 1.0 A mg^-1 and 1.9 A mg^-1, respectively, in the anodic and cathodic scan. These values are ∼1.7-fold (0.6 A mg^-1) and ∼4.8-fold (0.4 A mg^-1) higher than those of Pd NC. Moreover, PdPt NC retains a higher MA (54 mA mg^-1) than that of Pd NC (9 mA mg^-1) after chronoamperometric (CA) stability tests over 2000 s. Meanwhile, further addition of ruthenium (Ru) (<i>i.e.</i> PdRuPt NCs) outstandingly enhances the CO tolerance during the CA test <i>via</i> removal of adsorbed CO^ads and thus shows the highest MA (62 mA mg^-1) after CA testing, which is higher than that of PdPt (54 mA mg^-1) and Pd (9 mA mg^-1) NCs. The intriguing results obtained in this study have great significance to provide further strategic opportunities for tuning the surface electronic properties of Pd-based NCs to design Pd-based NCs with improved electrochemical performance.RSC advancesPromoting formic acid oxidation performance of Pd nanoparticles <i>via</i> Pt and Ru atom mediated surface engineering.PMC9053473MOST 108-3116-F-008-008MOST 107-3017-F-006-003MOST 108-3116-F-007-001MOST 107-2628-E-008-003-MY3MOST 109-3116-F-007-001Huang THChou PHBhalothia DWang KWChen TYfalsePromoting formic acid oxidation performance of Pd nanoparticles <i>via</i> Pt and Ru atom mediated surface engineering.The alteration of surface functional properties <i>via</i> incorporation of foreign atoms is supposed to be a key strategy for the enhanced catalytic performance of noble-metal based nanocatalysts (NCs). In the present study, carbon-supported palladium (Pd)-based NCs including Pd, PdPt and PdRuPt have been prepared <i>via</i> a polyol reduction method under the same reduction conditions as for formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR) applications. By cross-referencing the results of the microscopic, spectroscopic and electrochemical analysis we demonstrated that adding a small amount of platinum (Pt) into Pd NCs (<i>i.e.</i> PdPt NCs) significantly promotes the FAOR performance as compared to that of Pd NCs <i>via</i> weakening the CO^ads bond strength at a lower voltage (0.875 V <i>vs.</i> NHE) than Pd (0.891 V <i>vs.</i> NHE). Of special relevance, the PdPt NC shows a mass activity (MA) of 1.0 A mg^-1 and 1.9 A mg^-1, respectively, in the anodic and cathodic scan. These values are ∼1.7-fold (0.6 A mg^-1) and ∼4.8-fold (0.4 A mg^-1) higher than those of Pd NC. Moreover, PdPt NC retains a higher MA (54 mA mg^-1) than that of Pd NC (9 mA mg^-1) after chronoamperometric (CA) stability tests over 2000 s. Meanwhile, further addition of ruthenium (Ru) (<i>i.e.</i> PdRuPt NCs) outstandingly enhances the CO tolerance during the CA test <i>via</i> removal of adsorbed CO^ads and thus shows the highest MA (62 mA mg^-1) after CA testing, which is higher than that of PdPt (54 mA mg^-1) and Pd (9 mA mg^-1) NCs. The intriguing results obtained in this study have great significance to provide further strategic opportunities for tuning the surface electronic properties of Pd-based NCs to design Pd-based NCs with improved electrochemical performance.2020-01-01T00:00:00Z2020 Apr2025-04-05T13:24:35.856Z2025-04-05T13:24:35.856ZS-EPMC90534733552145410.1039/d0ra01303j