“…The slurry was then ultrasonicated for 1 h, and mixed with thiophene (0.625 mL, Aldrich) cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (0.515 g, Aldrich), triethanolamine (1.32 g, Aldrich), and de-ionized water (7.5 mL) under 30 min ultrasonication. Subsequently, an ammonium persulfate solution (2.07 g in 5 mL water, Aldrich) was added dropwise into the mixture to synthesize the carbon-supported polythiophene (PTh/C) [21]. The mixture was then heated to 70°C in a water bath for 24 h. Each metal precursor (IrCl 3 , RuCl 3 , (NH 4 ) 2 PdCl 4 , Co(NO 3 ) 2 , FeCl 3 NiCl 2 , SnCl 4 , precursor:thiophene mole ratio = 1:4, which were all purchased from Aldrich except for (NH 4 ) 2 PdCl 4 from Alfa Aesar), was added separately to the PTh/C slurry with constant stirring at 80°C for 1 h. The pH of the mixture was increased to 11 by adding NaOH followed by chemical reduction of the metal precursors with the addition of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 , Fluka) in excess under constant stirring for 2-3 h. The prepared metal-incorporated PTh/C catalysts (M-PTh/ C) were collected by filtration and then washed repeatedly with de-ionized water until the mixtures were neutralized (pH = 7).…”