Development of graphene–Ni–NiO energetic catalytic materials for electrochemical energy

Abstract

The present work aims at developing a graphene–nickel–nickel oxide (Ni–NiO) electrode by electrosynthesis. Graphene, produced by the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite, was electrodeposited over the nickel–nickel oxide electrode. The fuel glucose solution was electro-oxidised over the nickel–nickel oxide–graphene electrode to produce pollution-free clean electrical energy. The performance of the proposed material was electrochemically characterised by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The best material was found to deliver a high current of 4 A over a 100 cm2 surface area on electrochemical oxidation of fuel glucose. The graphene addition to the nickel–nickel oxide electrode was found to have enhanced the current and the electrochemical energy. X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of nickel, nickel oxide, graphite and graphene. The presence of graphene was further confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed fine-grained oxides with entrapped carbon particles, which seemed to be in the form of graphene. The SEM morphology of the enhanced three-dimensional surface area with highly energetic phases entrapped within the fine-structure metal oxides accounts for the high current obtained by the electro-oxidation of the fuel. The materials developed are found to be very good energetic electrodes for future fuel cells in the automotive industry.