Radiolysis-Assisted Direct Growth of Gold-Based Electrocatalysts for Glycerol Oxidation

Abstract

The electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol by metal electrocatalysts is an effective method of low-energy-input hydrogen production in membrane reactors in alkaline conditions. The aim of the present study is to examine the proof of concept for the gamma-radiolysis-assisted direct growth of monometallic gold and bimetallic gold–silver nanostructured particles. We revised the gamma radiolysis procedure to generate free-standing Au and Au-Ag nano- and micro-structured particles onto a gas diffusion electrode by the immersion of the substrate in the reaction mixture. The metal particles were synthesized by radiolysis on a flat carbon paper in the presence of capping agents. We have integrated different methods (SEM, EDX, XPS, XRD, ICP-OES, CV, and EIS) to examine in detail the as-synthesized materials and interrogate their electrocatalytic efficiency for glycerol oxidation under baseline conditions to establish a structure–performance relationship. The developed strategy can be easily extended to the synthesis by radiolysis of other types of ready-to-use metal electrocatalysts as advanced electrode materials for heterogeneous catalysis.

Synthesis of Metallic Nanostructures Using Ionizing Radiation and Their Applications

“…The electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol by metal electrocatalysts is an effective method for low-energy input hydrogen production in membrane reactors in alkaline conditions. Au-based nanoparticles (Au and Au-Ag NP) were directly synthesized on (and in) carbon paper fibers for application in glycerol electro-oxidation [121]. Co-and Ni-based particles supported on carbon were synthesized by gamma irradiation and used to fabricate electrodes for full cells.…”

SnO2/CoS1.097 heterojunction as a green electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution linking to assistant glycerol oxidation

“…11 Glycerol is easily oxidized into important intermediates for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, such as glyceraldehyde, glyceric acid, or formic acid, which is a green pathway for dispersal of glycerol. [12][13][14] In addition, it is reported that glycerol can be added into alkaline media to assist in reducing the OER overpotential, at the same time the glycerol is oxidized to some useful chemical intermediates, which results in a "one stone two birds" effect. [15][16][17] Therefore, it is a dominant trend that OER is replaced by the glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) for water splitting.…”