Synergistic Pd and Bi Decoration on g-C3N4: Toward High-Performance Glycerol Fuel Cell Anode Catalyst

Abstract

Glycerol electrooxidation (GEOR) in an alkaline medium was assessed using graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-supported PdBi bimetallic catalysts with different atomic ratios that were created using a NaBH4 reduction technique. The catalysts were comprehensively characterized by Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption–desorption, Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and elemental mapping, and electrochemical techniques namely cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Pd70Bi30/g-C3N4 had the best electrocatalytic performance among the synthesized catalysts, with the lowest onset potential (–0.31 V), the lowest charge transfer resistance, and the highest specific/mass activity (9.60 mA/cm2 and 180.8 mA/mgPd). Pd and Bi's synergistic interaction, the optimal d-band center position, and the efficient dispersion of nanoparticles on g-C3N4 were all credited with the increased activity. These findings show how atomic ratio tweaking and support material selection can be used to create high-performance anode catalysts for direct glycerol fuel cells (DGFCs). © 2025 Elsevier B.V.