A Kinetic Study of Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Palladium-Nickel Alloy Surfaces

Carbon supported palladium-nickel and nickel were synthesized by chemical reduction of the metal salts. Polycrystalline Pd, Ni and Pd-Ni were electrodeposited on gold substrates. The structure of these materials was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Catalytic activity study of Pd-Ni/C and Ni/C for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic and alkaline media respectively was carried on a glass carbon rotating disk electrode (RDE) using Nafion as binder. Electrodeposited Pd-Ni on gold RDE was also investigated for ORR in acidic media. The performance of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with Pd-Ni/C cathode, Nafion 117 membrane electrolyte and Pt/C anode was studied in a 5cm2 polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell