Unraveling the interfacial synergy between CuPd alloy and reduced graphene oxide: A mechanistic study on enhanced hydrogen production from formaldehyde solution

Developing efficient Pd-based bimetallic catalysts for hydrogen production via aqueous formaldehyde reforming represents a promising route for chemical hydrogen storage. In this work, we construct a CuPd bimetallic system supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets to synergistically modulate the interfacial electronic structure and metal–support interactions for enhanced catalytic activity and stability. The optimized CuPd-rGO-7wt% catalyst exhibits superior hydrogen evolution performance in alkaline formaldehyde solution at room temperature, reaching a rate of 1060.8 mmol g −1 h −1 , outperforming Pd-rGO and Cu-rGO (7 wt%) by factors of 3.34 and 8.38, respectively. Combined spectroscopic (XPS, FTIR) and electrochemical characterizations reveal that Cu incorporation downshifts the d-band center of Pd, thereby optimizing reactant adsorption/desorption behavior. This electronic modulation preferentially favors formaldehyde activation toward formate formation while simultaneously accelerating water dissociation, thus significantly boosting the overall reforming efficiency. This work advances the fundamental understanding of the synergistic interplay between alloy and support in bimetallic catalysts and serves as a valuable reference for the rational design of high-performance catalytic systems for hydrogen production.