Urchin-like Pd@CuO-Pd yolk-shell nanostructures: synthesis, characterization and electrocatalysis

Ying GUO, Yi Tao XU, Bo ZHAO, Tao WANG, Kai ZHANG, Matthew M.F. YUEN, Xian Zhu FU*, Rong SUN*, Ching Ping WONG

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal PublicationsJournal Article (refereed)peer-review

53 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Novel urchin-like Pd@CuO–Pd yolk–shell nanostructures are synthesized through subsequent oxidation of Pd@Cu2O truncated octahedron core–shell precursors with a PdCl42− aqueous solution. The permeable hierarchical CuO shells are constructed by a radially standing 1D single-crystalline nanothorn with Pd nanoparticles. The Pd nanocube cores are encapsulated and confined in the void space of the urchin-like shells. The urchin-like yolk–shell Pd@CuO–Pd nanostructures demonstrate excellent electrocatalytic activity and selectivity for glucose oxidation. Enzyme-free glucose biosensors based on the urchin-like yolk–shell Pd@CuO–Pd electrocatalysts display a higher sensitivity (665.9 μA cm−2 mM−1) than those of the CuO nanoparticles (455.8 μA cm−2 mM−1), Cu2O nanoparticles (220.4 μA cm−2 mM−1), Pd@Cu2O truncated octahedra (179.1 μA cm−2 mM−1), Pd mixtures (65.5 μA cm−2 mM−1) and Pd nanocubes (1.42 μA cm−2 mM−1). The outstanding electrocatalytic performance of the urchin-like Pd@CuO–Pd yolk–shell nanostructures might be ascribed to two reasons: the unique hierarchical yolk–shell structures provide highly exposed active sites and act as an individualized nanoreactor to enhance the mass diffusion and transport of reactants at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Moreover, the nanocomposite of metal oxide semiconductor CuO and noble metal Pd would result in a synergetic effect to improve the electrocatalysis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)13653-13661
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume3
Issue number26
Early online date28 Apr 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Jul 2015
Externally publishedYes

Funding

This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 21203236), Guangdong and Shenzhen Innovative Research Team Program (no. 2011D052, KYPT20121228160843692), Shenzhen Electronic Packaging Materials Engineering Laboratory (2012-372), Shenzhen High Density Electronic Packaging and Device Assembly Key Laboratory (ZDSYS20140509174237196).

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