Bimetallic Aerogels: High‐Performance Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract

Metallic nanomaterials with high surface area and high porosity are of great interest for applications in catalysis, electrochemistry, and sensors. Several strategies have been developed for preparing porous metallic nanostructures, for instance, templating, combustion synthesis, cathodic corrosion, and by forming aerogels. Aerogels are a unique class of materials that present low densities, large open pores, and high inner surface areas. Some aerogel materials have physical and chemical properties that are superior to those of conventional nanoparticles since the specific properties of the nanomaterials are combined and magnified by self-assembly on the macroscale. Among the different methods of preparing metallic aerogels, we have developed a spontaneous method for the synthesis of Pd aerogels through the reduction of K₂PdCl₄ in the presence of different cyclodextrins. The cyclodextrin-modified Pd aerogels have shown excellent performance in the electrocatalysis of ethanol oxidation. Thus, the exploration of novel metallic aerogels and their applications are of great interest. [...]