Abstract

This work focuses on a simplified polyol process by which to synthesize five different NiCu/C nanoclusters (NCs) electrocatalysts with the variation of mass and atomic ratio. NCs are characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) for their crystallite and electronic structures, morphological studies, and elemental composition. The high-angle annular dark-field scanning TEM coupled with EDS elemental mapping has confirmed that nanoparticles (NPs) are formed with Ni and Cu, and NPs are subsequently noted to conform into NCs in such a fashion that NiCu NPs are interconnected to each other rather than overlapping considered a unique distribution of NiCu NCs on the carbon support observed in STEM. NPs arrangement in the conformation of NCs has largely increased in the coverage of NiCu-oxyhydroxides working as active sites for ammonia electrocatalysis evidenced in cyclic voltammograms and XPS investigation. NCs were employed for the oxidation of NH4OH, NH4Cl, NH4NO3, and (NH4)2SO4 of which NiCu/C-2 has shown the highest performance over other NiCu/C samples and their individuals. NiCu/C-2 is also found to have higher stability than other mono/bi-metallic electrocatalysts on the stability test preformed in an electrochemical environment. In addition, the sharp drops of the current in the chronoamperometric curves have been investigated during the stability test.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.