An electrode with Ni(II) loaded analcime zeolite catalyst for the electrooxidation of methanol

Abstract

There is a high overvoltage in the oxidation of methanol in fuel cells, and so modified electrodes are used to decrease it. A modified electrode that used Ni(II) loaded analcime zeolite to catalyze the electrooxidation of methanol in alkaline solution was proposed. Analcime zeolite was synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis, and Ni(II) ions were incorporated into the analcime structure, which was then mixed with carbon paste to prepare modified electrode. The electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on the surface of the modified electrode in alkaline solution was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The effects of the scan rate of the potential, concentration of methanol, and amount of zeolite were investigated. The rate constant for the catalytic reaction of methanol was 6 × 103 cm 3 mol −1 s −1 from measurements using chronoamperometry. The proposed electrode significantly improved the electron transfer rate and decreased the overpotential for methanol oxidation. Ni loaded analcime zeolite was used as the catalyst for the electrochemical oxidation of methanol.