(Digital Presentation) Activated Carbon Supported Ni-Co Layered Double Hydroxides Nanowires: An Effective and Low-Cost Electrocatalyst Towards Ethanol Oxidation Reaction in Alkaline Media

Abstract

Developing nanostructured architectures using non-noble, low-cost transition metals with good electrocatalytic activity and durability to replace noble electrocatalysts such as Pt and Pd have gained considerable attention in the field of sustainable and clean energy production technology. To address this, we adopted a facile synthesis route to synthesize Ni-Co layered double hydroxides (NiCo-LDH) nanowires supported on Activated Carbon (AC) via a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method. The resulting NiCo-LDH nanowires, possessing a crystallite size of ~16.15 nm and a Surface area of 100.81 m2/g, have been utilized as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) in an alkaline medium. The electrochemical performance of the synthesized catalyst was investigated by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Chronoamperometry (CA), and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) techniques at room temperature. Impressively, NiCo-LDH/AC exhibited good electrocatalytic activity of 9.79 mA.cm-2 at 1.51 V vs. Saturated Calomel Electrode (SCE) and retained remarkable stability even after 200 cycles in 0.1 M NaOH with 1 M EtOH. The better electrocatalytic activity of NiCo/AC catalyst can be attributed to the presence of active sites and porous structures as well as the good electron transfer conductivity of AC. The attractive performance and facile synthesis of NiCo-LDH supported on AC highlights its potential application as an anodic material in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs).