Reduced graphene oxide supported NiCo2O4 nanocomposite bifunctional electrocatalyst for glucose-oxygen fuel cell

Abstract

Reduced graphene oxide and nickel-cobalt oxide (rGO-NiCo2O4) nanocomposite material with optimized rGO is prepared via hydrothermal method as bifunctional electrocatalyst for glucose oxidation reaction (GOR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Systematic analytical characterization techniques are employed to confirm the formation and morphology of rGO-NiCo2O4. Electrochemical techniques are used to study the electrocatalytic GOR and oxygen ORR at rGO-NiCo2O4 nanocomposite modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode in 0.1 M NaOH. An optimum loading of rGO in rGO-NiCo2O4 nanocomposite modified electrode outperformed than that of GC/NiCo2O4, GC/Co3O4 and GC/NiO modified electrodes in terms of onset potential and current density towards GOR and ORR. Thus, rGO-NiCo2O4 is used as a bifunctional catalyst in glucose-oxygen fuel cell (GFC). The rGO-NiCo2O4 naonocomposite modified carbon foam electrode delivers a considerable power density of 0.9679 mW cm−2 and an OCV of 0.96 V in GFC under alkaline conditions with an anion exchange bridge.