Abstract
Ag/NiO composite nanosheets and empty microspheres were fabricated by calcining the precursors synthesized via hydrothermal and solvothermal procedures involved four methods. The as-prepared samples were characterized by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The electrocatalytic properties of Ag/NiO composites modified on a glassy carbon electrode for p-nitrophenol reduction were investigated. The results showed that Ag/NiO composites exhibited highly enhanced electrocatalytic activity than a bare glassy carbon electrode, for not only the peak current increased clearly but also the corresponding peak potential decreased markedly. As a comparison, two NiO samples were used and the results showed that the peak current has an increase but the peak potentials have a slight decrease by comparing to a bare glassy carbon electrode. The Ag/NiO composites have the potential application in the electrocatalysis for the reduction of nitrophenol materials.
Highlights
The significant transition metal oxides with nanostructures generally possess numerously highlighted physicochemical properties and have been applied widely in catalysts [1,2,3,4], electrochemistry [5, 6], gas sensors [7, 8], biomedical materials [9, 10] and other fields
The results showed that Ag/nickel oxide (NiO) composites exhibited highly enhanced electrocatalytic activity than a bare glassy carbon electrode, for the peak current increased clearly and the corresponding peak potential decreased markedly
Two NiO samples were used and the results showed that the peak current has an increase but the peak potentials have a slight decrease by comparing to a bare glassy carbon electrode
Summary
The significant transition metal oxides with nanostructures generally possess numerously highlighted physicochemical properties and have been applied widely in catalysts [1,2,3,4], electrochemistry [5, 6], gas sensors [7, 8], biomedical materials [9, 10] and other fields. To effectively expand the performances and broaden the applications of NiO, the focus on the investigation of nickel oxide mixing or doping with metals or other transition metal oxides have attracted much attention in recent decades, because the mixing or doping of other metals or transition metal oxides with nickel oxide can product new composite materials which may exhibit more novel physical and chemical properties [21,22,23,24,25,26]. The electrocatalytic property of Ag/NiO composite modified on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) has been involved seldom. The Ag/NiO samples were modified on a GCE, and their electrocatalytic performances for p-nitrophenol reduction in a base solution were investigated in detail. The experiments demonstrated that the modified GCEs showed high electrocatalytic activity
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