Enlightening the bimetallic effect of Au@Pd nanoparticles on Ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activity
Abstract Bimetallic decoration of semiconductor electrodes typically improves catalytic and sensing performances because of a well-claimed synergistic effect. A microscopic and quantitative investigation of such an effect on energy bands of semiconductor can be really useful for further exploitation...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29679-6 |
| _version_ | 1797864955731509248 |
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| author | Luca Bruno Mario Scuderi Francesco Priolo Luigi Falciola Salvo Mirabella |
| author_facet | Luca Bruno Mario Scuderi Francesco Priolo Luigi Falciola Salvo Mirabella |
| author_sort | Luca Bruno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Bimetallic decoration of semiconductor electrodes typically improves catalytic and sensing performances because of a well-claimed synergistic effect. A microscopic and quantitative investigation of such an effect on energy bands of semiconductor can be really useful for further exploitation. Au, Pd and Au@Pd (core@shell) nanoparticles (10–20 nm in size) were synthesized through chemical reduction method and characterized with scanning and transmission microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Mott–Schottky analysis. The nanoparticles have been used to decorate Ni-based nanostructured electrodes with the aim to quantitatively investigate the effect of decoration with mono or bimetallic nanoparticles. Decorated electrodes show higher redox currents than bare ones and a shift in redox peaks (up to 0.3 V), which can be ascribed to a more efficient electron transport and improved catalytic properties. These effects were satisfactorily modeled (COMSOL) employing a nano Schottky junction at the nanoparticle–semiconductor interface, pointing out large energy band bending (up to 0.4 eV), space charge region and local electric field (up to $${10}^{8}\mathrm{ V }{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$$ 10 8 V m - 1 ) in bimetallic decoration. Sensing test of glucose and H2O2 by decorated Ni oxide electrodes were performed to consolidate our model. The presence of bimetallic nanoparticles enhances enormously the electrochemical performances of the material in terms of sensitivity, catalytic activity, and electrical transport. The modification of energy band diagram in semiconductor is analyzed and discussed also in terms of electron transfer during redox reactions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:01:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd842647d5cb4b2a91e6a8851277803a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T23:01:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd842647d5cb4b2a91e6a8851277803a2023-03-22T11:00:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-02-0113111110.1038/s41598-023-29679-6Enlightening the bimetallic effect of Au@Pd nanoparticles on Ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activityLuca Bruno0Mario Scuderi1Francesco Priolo2Luigi Falciola3Salvo Mirabella4Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “Ettore Majorana”, Università degli Studi di CataniaCNR-IMMDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “Ettore Majorana”, Università degli Studi di CataniaDipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di MilanoDipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “Ettore Majorana”, Università degli Studi di CataniaAbstract Bimetallic decoration of semiconductor electrodes typically improves catalytic and sensing performances because of a well-claimed synergistic effect. A microscopic and quantitative investigation of such an effect on energy bands of semiconductor can be really useful for further exploitation. Au, Pd and Au@Pd (core@shell) nanoparticles (10–20 nm in size) were synthesized through chemical reduction method and characterized with scanning and transmission microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Mott–Schottky analysis. The nanoparticles have been used to decorate Ni-based nanostructured electrodes with the aim to quantitatively investigate the effect of decoration with mono or bimetallic nanoparticles. Decorated electrodes show higher redox currents than bare ones and a shift in redox peaks (up to 0.3 V), which can be ascribed to a more efficient electron transport and improved catalytic properties. These effects were satisfactorily modeled (COMSOL) employing a nano Schottky junction at the nanoparticle–semiconductor interface, pointing out large energy band bending (up to 0.4 eV), space charge region and local electric field (up to $${10}^{8}\mathrm{ V }{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$$ 10 8 V m - 1 ) in bimetallic decoration. Sensing test of glucose and H2O2 by decorated Ni oxide electrodes were performed to consolidate our model. The presence of bimetallic nanoparticles enhances enormously the electrochemical performances of the material in terms of sensitivity, catalytic activity, and electrical transport. The modification of energy band diagram in semiconductor is analyzed and discussed also in terms of electron transfer during redox reactions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29679-6 |
| spellingShingle | Luca Bruno Mario Scuderi Francesco Priolo Luigi Falciola Salvo Mirabella Enlightening the bimetallic effect of Au@Pd nanoparticles on Ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activity Scientific Reports |
| title | Enlightening the bimetallic effect of Au@Pd nanoparticles on Ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activity |
| title_full | Enlightening the bimetallic effect of Au@Pd nanoparticles on Ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activity |
| title_fullStr | Enlightening the bimetallic effect of Au@Pd nanoparticles on Ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enlightening the bimetallic effect of Au@Pd nanoparticles on Ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activity |
| title_short | Enlightening the bimetallic effect of Au@Pd nanoparticles on Ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activity |
| title_sort | enlightening the bimetallic effect of au pd nanoparticles on ni oxide nanostructures with enhanced catalytic activity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29679-6 |
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