Composition-regulated lattice strain of PdSn/C for boosting C1 pathway in ethanol electrooxidation

The rational manufacturing of Pd-based catalysts to advance their useful applications in ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is an exciting but difficult endeavor. Herein, a series of PdSn alloy catalysts (PdSn/C-0.1, 0.5, 1, 2) with the tunable lattice strains was synthesized by a facile method at room temperature and applied to the EOR. Our findings highlight that the activity and stability of EOR can be tuned by manipulating the lattice strain of Pd-based catalysts. Remarkably, PdSn/C-1 exhibits an excellent mass current density (8452.3 mA/mgPd), which is higher than that of the most Pd-based catalysts, as well as great stability, maintaining a mass activity of 573.9 mA/mgPd after 5000 seconds. Combining the structure analysis, in situ spectral characterization, and theoretical calculation, we elucidate that it is the suitable tensile strain tuned by Sn composition on PdSn/C that optimizes the free energy of the key intermediate (*CH2CO) during the EOR, thereby preferring the C1 pathway and enhancing catalytic activity. It is shown in this study that by controlling the composition, the lattice strain can be changed so as to improve catalytic performance of Pd-based catalysts for EOR.