Performance evaluation of borohydride electrooxidation reaction with ternary alloy Au–Ni–Cu/C catalysts

Abstract

Carbon-supported Au–Ni–Cu, Au–Ni, Au–Cu and Au nanoparticles were synthesised using a polyol reduction method. The prepared nanoparticle catalysts were used as anode electrocatalysts in direct borohydride–hydrogen peroxide fuel cells. The physical properties of the as-prepared electrocatalysts were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD and TEM analyses showed that the average size of the particles was approximately 10–20 nm. Cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were employed to analyse the borohydride oxidation reaction (BOR) on Au/C, Au–Cu/C, Au–Ni/C and Au–Ni–Cu/C. The results showed that the catalytic activity for BOR decreased in the order Au2–Ni1–Cu1/C > Au1.5–Ni1–Cu1/C > Au1–Ni1/C > Au1–Cu1/C > Au/C. Single-cell direct borohydride fuel cell (DBFC) tests also attested that the Au2–Ni1–Cu1/C anode catalyst exhibited better performance than the Au–Cu/C, Au–Ni/C and Au/C anode catalysts. Therefore, the ternary Au2–Ni1–Cu1/C catalyst can be a potential anode catalyst for DBFCs.