Palladium-based electrocatalysts and fuel cells employing such electrocatalysts

1. A direct organic fuel cell comprising:

a fluid fuel comprising formic acid;

an anode to which said fluid fuel is directed, said anode having an electrocatalyst associated therewith, said electrocatalyst comprising palladium nanoparticles;

a fluid oxidant;

a cathode to which said fluid oxidant is directed, said cathode electrically connected to said anode; and

an electrolyte interposed between said anode and said cathode.

2. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said fluid fuel comprises at least 3 M formic acid.

3. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode is disposed within an anode enclosure, said fluid fuel flowable within said anode enclosure.

4. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the cathode is disposed within a cathode enclosure, said fluid oxidant flowable within said cathode enclosure.

5. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is an ion exchange membrane.

6. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 5 , wherein said electrolyte is a proton exchange membrane.

7. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 6 , wherein said proton exchange membrane comprises a perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer.

8. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 5 , wherein said ion exchange membrane is substantially impermeable to said fuel.

9. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is selected from the group comprising porous silicon, ruthenium oxide, and acid electrolytes.

10. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles, said nanoparticles having at least one of a diameter of less than about 15 nm and a radius of curvature less than about 7.5 nm.

11. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles, said nanoparticles having at least one of: a diameter of less than about 10 nm and a radius of curvature less than about 5 nm.

12. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles, said nanoparticles having at least one of: a diameter of less than about 6 nm and a radius of curvature less than about 3 nm.

13. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles with a surface area of at least about 5 m 2 /g.

14. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles with a surface area of at least about 23 m 2 /g.

15. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles with a surface area of at least about 40 m 2/ g.

16. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said fuel comprises between about 21% and about 100% by weight of formic acid.

17. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said fuel comprises between about 25% and about 65% by weight of formic acid.

18. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 wherein said fuel comprises at least about 30% by weight of water.

19. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 wherein said oxidant comprises air and said formic acid has a concentration between about 50% and about 70% by weight.

20. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 wherein said oxidant comprises air and wherein said formic acid has a concentration between about 20% and about 40% by weight.

21. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein the cell is capable of generating a power density of at least about 150 mW/cm 2 when operating at about 21° C.

22. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the cell is capable of generating a power density of at least about 270 mW/cm 2 when operating at about 21° C.

23. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the cell is capable of generating an open circuit voltage of at least about 0.8 V.

24. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst is configured to promote reaction of said formic acid via a direct path that diminishes formation of a CO intermediate.

25. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said electrocatalyst consists essentially of palladium nanoparticles.

26. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles, said nanoparticles having a radius of curvature less than about 7.5 nm.

27. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles, said nanoparticles having a radius of curvature less than about 5 nm.

28. The direct organic fuel cell of claim 1 , wherein said anode catalyst comprises palladium nanoparticles, said nanoparticles having a radius of curvature less than about 3 nm.