Preparation of Ni@MWCNTs Anode Catalyst and Its Application in Direct Urea(Urine) Fuel Cell†

doi:10.7503/cjcu20170342

Abstract

Abstract:

A flexible nickel@multi-wall carbon nanotubes(Ni@MWCNTs) electrode with low-cost and loose-structure was prepared by electrodepositing nickel on MWCNTs, which were self-adsorbed on the abandoned facial mask cloth by simple immersion method. The morphology, element distribution, crystal structure and catalyst content of as-prepared electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscope(SEM), X-ray diffractometer(XRD) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer(ICP-MS). Cyclic voltammetry(CV), chronoamperometry and alternate current impedance methods were applied to investigate the single electrode’s catalytic activity and the whole cell’s output performance based on the Ni@MWCNTs anode. The results imply that the strongly-adsorbed intermediate possibly generates during urea electro-oxidation. When the concentration of KOH is 3.0 mol/L, the oxidation peak current density reaches the highest value of 18.7 mA·mg^-1·cm^-2. The direct urea fuel cell gives an open circuit voltage of 0.87 V and a peak power density of 1.74 mW/cm², indicating the superiority of Ni@MWCNTs anode and H₂O₂ oxidant. When human urine acts as fuel, the output performance of urine fuel cell is significantly enhanced by increasing the alkalinity of urine.

Key words: Multi-wall carbonate nanotubes, Nickel, Urea, Urine, Fuel cell

CLC Number:

O646

TrendMD:

CHEN Xiaofei, LIU Zhaoyang, LEI Yang, FAN Baoan, GUO Fen. Preparation of Ni@MWCNTs Anode Catalyst and Its Application in Direct Urea(Urine) Fuel Cell^†[J]. Chem. J. Chinese Universities, 2018, 39(3): 537.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig.1 SEM image of MWCNTs electrode and an overlay of EDS-mapping(the framed area)(A) and magnified SEM image of MWCNTs electrode(B)

Fig.2 SEM image of Ni@MWCNTs and an overlay of EDS-mappings(the framed area)(A), EDS-mapping of single Ni element(B) and C element(C) and EDS pattern of Ni@MWCNTs(D)

Fig.3 XRD patterns of MWCNTs(a) and Ni@MWCNTs(b) electrode

Fig.4 Plots of Ni loading vs. deposition time(A) and CV curves in 3.0 mol/L KOH+0.33 mol/L urea under different deposition time(scan rate: 10 mV/s)(B)Inset of (B) shows the change of peak current density normalized by Ni loading with cleposition time.

Fig.5 Consecutive CV curves of Ni@MWCNTs in 5.0 mol/L KOH(scan rate: 50 mV/s)

Fig.6 CV curves of Ni/MWCNTs electrode in different concentrations of KOH(A), KOH+0.33 mol/L urea solutions(B), 3.0 mol/L KOH with 0.33 mol/L urea and without urea(C) and Nyquist plots in different concentrations of KOH+0.33 mol/L urea solutions(D)Scan rate/(mV·s-1): (A) 50, (B), (C) 10. c(KOH)/(mol·L-1): a. 1.0; b. 3.0; c. 5.0.

Fig.7 Nyquist plots(A) and choronoamperotric curves(B) of Ni@MWCNTs electrode in 3.0 mol/L KOH+0.33 mol/L urea and plots of Rct vs. potentials(a) and current density at 1000 s vs. potentials(b)(C)

Fig.8 Physical photo of urea/urine fuel cell(A) and SEM image of Pd-C@TiC cathode(B)

Fig.9 LSV curves of anode, cathode and whole cell(A), LSV curves of whole cell with and without urea and P-j curve of whole cell with urea(B), LSV(C) and P-j(D) curves of urine fuel cell with and without 0.7 mol/L KOH at scan rate of 20 mV/s

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