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The exploration of efficient nanocatalysts with high activity and stability towards water electrolysis and fuel cell applications is extremely important for the advancement of electrochemical reactions. However, it remains challenging. Controlling the morphology of bimetallic Pd–Pt nanostructures can be a great way to improve their electrocatalytic properties compared with previously developed catalysts. Herein, we synthesize bimetallic Pd–Pt nanodendrites, which consist of a dense matrix of unsaturated coordination atoms and high porosity. The concentration of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride was significant for the morphology and size of the Pd–Pt nanodendrites. Pd–Pt nanodendrites prepared by cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (200 mM) showed higher activities towards both the hydrogen evolution reaction and methanol oxidation reaction compared to their different Pd–Pt nanodendrite counterparts, commercial Pd, and Pt catalysts, which was attributed to numerous unsaturated surface atoms in well-developed single branches.

The one-pot synthesis strategy of Au@Pd dendrites nanoparticles (Au@Pd DNPs) was simply synthesized in a high-temperature aqueous solution condition where cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) acted as a reducing and capping agent at a high temperature. The Au@Pd DNPs with highly monodisperse were shown in high yields by the Au:Pd rate. The nanostructure and optical and crystalline properties of the Au@Pd DNPs were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction. The Au@Pd DNPs showed an efficient electrochemical catalytic performance rate toward the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) due to their nanostructures and Au:Pd rate.

The durability of catalysts in fuel cells is a longstanding issue that needs to be resolved. Catalyst stability of the fuel cell has always been a problem, studies are underway to address them. Herein, to address this issue, we synthesize a hybrid structure consisting of SP carbon (SP) as the graphitic carbon and TiO2 as the metal oxide using a microwave method for use as a support for Pt nanoparticles. Anatase TiO2 and Pt nanoparticles with sizes of ~5 and 3.5 ± 1.4 nm, respectively, are uniformly dispersed on a modified graphitic SP carbon support (Pt-TiO2-SP). This supported Pt catalyst exhibits significantly improves durability in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Furthermore, the Pt-TiO2-SP carbon hybrid catalyst manifests superior electrocatalytic stability and higher onset potential in ORR than those exhibited by Pt-SP carbon without TiO2. Pt-TiO2-SP exhibits an activity loss of less than 68 mV after 5000 electrochemical cycles, whereas an activity loss of ~100 mV is observed for Pt-SP carbon in a stability test. These results suggest that the strong metal–support interaction in TiO2-supported Pt catalyst significantly enhances the activity of Pt nanocatalyst.