Ethanol oxidation plays a pivotal role in sustainable electrochemical energy systems but remains limited by sluggish kinetics, catalyst poisoning from CO intermediate, and high cost of catalytic materials. This work presents a modular nanocrystal catalyst integrating Co 2 P/Pd core/shell and PdAu interfaces, tailored to enhance activity, durability, and cost-effectiveness of the catalyst. In situ spectroscopic analyses and DFT simulations reveal the complementary roles of these interfaces: Co 2 P/Pd accelerates ethanol-to-acetate transformation, while PdAu facilitates the removal of CO poisoning species. This rationally designed architecture overcomes key limitations of monometallic or single-component catalysts, offering a promising strategy for high-performance EOR. The modular approach also holds broad potential for advancing other complex, multi-step electrochemical reactions, positioning it as a tunable platform for next-generation energy catalysis. • A multi-interface Co 2 P/PdAu nanocrystal catalyst is developed for the EOR • Co 2 P/Pd core/shell structure boosts Pd utilization and cost-effectiveness • Co 2 P/Pd lowers EOR barriers, while PdAu interface mitigates CO poisoning • Optimized Co 2 P/PdAu nanorods are among the most efficient EOR catalysts A multi-interface Co 2 P/PdAu nanocrystal catalyst is developed for the EOR Co 2 P/Pd core/shell structure boosts Pd utilization and cost-effectiveness Co 2 P/Pd lowers EOR barriers, while PdAu interface mitigates CO poisoning Optimized Co 2 P/PdAu nanorods are among the most efficient EOR catalysts Electrochemical processes that utilize biomass-derived ethanol as a source of electrons and protons offer a sustainable energy strategy, yet their practical implementation is limited by sluggish ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) kinetics and catalyst poisoning. Here, we report a modular multi-interface nanocrystal catalyst comprising core/shell Co 2 P/Pd and PdAu heterostructured interfaces that exhibit complementary functions for the enhanced EOR catalysis. The Co 2 P/Pd interface boosts Pd atom utilization and lowers the kinetic barriers for ethanol-to-acetate conversion, while the PdAu interface effectively alleviates CO poisoning caused by C–C bond cleavage of ethanol. In-depth analyses using in situ attenuated total reflectance-surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy, differential electrochemical mass spectrometry, and density functional theory calculations elucidate the mechanistic roles of these interfaces. The optimized Co 2 P/PdAu 0.08 nanorods achieve an excellent mass activity, underscoring the potential of modular, multi-interface nanocrystals for advancing EOR catalysis and offering a generalizable strategy for broader catalytic innovations.
Zhang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.