Development of a carbon–manganese dioxide nanomaterial as a glucose fuel-cell electrode

Abstract

The development of a non-platinum (Pt)-based inexpensive material, as fuel-cell electrode, is the most needful to produce clean electrical renewable energy. A nanocomposite material of manganese dioxide–carbon (MnO2–C) was synthesised by an electrodeposition technique, at optimum parameters of current, potential and chemistry of the electrolyte. The performance of the synthesised material compared to that of Pt was tested by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and potentiodynamic polarisation. It was found that the MnO2–C material was superior to Pt for glucose oxidation in fuel cells. It delivered a much higher current and a lower polarisation resistance. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) graph reflected the presence of MnO2 and C. The particle size estimated from XRD data using the Scherrer formula came out in the nano range. The morphology of deposits from field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images indicated that the nano-carbon particles are randomly distributed within the MnO2 matrix. The carbon particles not only act as a high-energetic electrocatalytic surface but also act as a nano grain refiner of MnO2. The real substrate area in three dimension is much more than the geometrical substrate area in two dimension, giving rise to an increase in current.