Green Synthesis of Graphene Oxide-Supported Palladium and Palladium–Gold Electrocatalysts for Coupled Glycerol Electrooxidation and CO₂ Electroreduction

The project focuses on the green synthesis of Pd–GO and GO–Pd–Au hybrid nanomaterials for application as anodes in glycerol electrooxidation coupled with CO₂ electroreduction to produce value-added chemicals.

The project includes a research internship of at least 6 months at the University of Cantabria (Spain), offering candidates the opportunity to work in an international research environment within the EUNICE European University Alliance.

Research Objectives

1. Develop Pd nanoparticles with controlled size, shape and structure by comparing different capping agents, solvents and metal precursors, including the seed-mediated growth of bimetallic Pd–Au nanorods.
2. Fabricate GO–Pd and GO–(Pd–Au) hybrid nanomaterials with homogeneous dispersion of metal nanoparticles through seed-mediated growth on functionalised reduced graphene oxide (rGO-X) nanosheets (e.g. rGO-SH and rGO-NH₂).
3. Prepare electrodes based on these hybrid materials and evaluate their performance for the selective electrooxidation of glycerol, with emphasis on catalytic activity, selectivity and long-term stability.

Eligibility

This opportunity is intended for candidates applying to the PhD Programme in Chemical Sciences (XLII Cycle, Academic Year 2026–2027) at the University of Catania.

Application

Application deadline: 31 July 2026

Apply to the PhD Programme 

Further information on the PhD Programme