1D Pd-Based Nanomaterials as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cells - Low-cost Nanomaterials: Toward Greener and More Efficient Energy Applications - page 346

5 Conclusions and Future Outlook
In this chapter, we discussed the technological challenges of the modern elect-
rocatalysts and summarized recent research progress of 1D Pd-based nanomate-
rials as efficient electrocatalysts on both anode and cathode sides of fuel cells and
the applications in hydrogen storage. Specifically, we presented the effect of
structural parameters of Pd-based 1D nanomaterials on their electrocatalytic
activities for cathode ORR, and anode small molecules (methanol, ethanol, and
formic acid) oxidation, and on their hydrogen storage capacity. From the studies
shown in this chapter, it can be concluded that 1D Pd-based nanomaterials exhibit
enhanced electrocatalytic activity and improved electrochemical stability for
oxygen reduction and small molecule oxidation. Except for the large electro-
chemically active surface area of 1D nanomaterials, the unique anisotropic
structure of nanowire, nanorod, and nanotube can also facilitate the mass and
electron-transfer during the catalytic reactions. Meanwhile, it has been found that
1D Pd-based nanomaterials possess excellent hydrogen storage ability compared
to the corresponding 0D structures. Therefore, 1D Pd-based nanomaterials repre-
sent not only a class of non-Pt electrocatalysts with low cost and excellent catalytic
performance, but also a class of novel hydrogen storage materials for fuel cells.
Yet, despite substantial progress in the electrocatalysts based on 1D Pd-based
nanomaterials, some challenges remain in future work in this field. The emphases
of future investigations should mainly include: (1) further developing different
synthetic techniques to produce high quality 1D Pd-based nanomaterials with
controlled size, shape, and composition; (2) further improving the catalytic per-
formance and reducing Pd loading of 1D nanomaterials to achieve cost-effective
fuel cell electrocatalysts; (3) further investigating theoretically the correlation
between structures of 1D Pd-based materials and their catalytic and hydrogen
storage properties to provide fundamental direction for nanomaterial design; (4)
further enhancing the study of 1D Pd-based nanocatalysts in real fuel cells to test
their catalytic performance in practical applications.
Acknowledgments This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of
China (Nos. 21275136, 21043013), the Natural Science Foundation of Jilin province, China (No.
201215090), and Scientific Research Foundation for Returned Scholars, Ministry of Education of
China.
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