Synthesis and research of carbon and palladium-based composites

In the present work, we report the synthesis of nanosized palladium/carbon powder in an alternating current arc discharge plasma (66 kHz) and the production of composite materials based on it through thermal oxidation in a flow of argon containing 20 wt.% oxygen. Using methods such as transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray phase analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and Raman scattering, we conducted the identification of substances in the samples. We also investigated the morphology, elemental, structural and phase composition, chemical and electronic state of atoms on the surface of the obtained samples, as well as the stoichiometric and structural changes that occurred during the thermal oxidation process. The results of cyclic voltammetry studies of ethanol oxidation reactions in alkaline electrolyte on graphite electrodes coated with composite palladium/carbon powders were presented, allowing for a comparison of their electrochemical behaviour depending on the composition of the composite. The behaviour of the samples in the electrochemical oxidation reaction of ethanol in an alkaline electrolyte was recorded by monitoring the current changes in the peak potential region during the experiment. In particular, it was shown that a multiple increase in the peak current value was demonstrated by a sample containing a mixture of Pd/PdO$_2$.