Synthesis and characterization of ZnO-Al2O3 oxides as energetic electro-catalytic material for glucose fuel cell

Abstract

One of the thrust areas of research is to find an alternative fuel to meet the increasing demand for energy. Glucose is a good source of alternative fuel for clean energy and is easily available in abundance from both naturally occurring plants and industrial processes. Electrochemical oxidation of glucose in fuel cell requires high electro-catalytic surface of the electrode to produce the clean electrical energy with minimum energy losses in the cell. Pt and Pt based alloys exhibit high electro-catalytic properties but they are expensive. For energy synthesis at economically cheap price, non Pt based inexpensive high electro catalytic material is required. Electro synthesized ZnO-Al2O3 composite is found to exhibit high electro-catalytic properties for glucose oxidation. The Cyclic Voltammetry and Chronoamperometry curves reflect that the material is very much comparable to Pt as far as the maximum current and the steady state current delivered from the glucose oxidation are concerned. XRD image confirms the mixed oxide composite. SEM images morphology show increased 3D surface areas at higher magnification. This attributed high current delivered from electrochemical oxidation of glucose on this electrode surface.