Electrodeposited Nickel Sulfide Nanoparticles Incorporated Carbon Nanofibers as Effective Non‐Precious Catalyst for Methanol Electrooxidation in Alkaline Medium

• Published in: ChemistrySelect (Weinheim) Vol. 8; no. 17
• Main Authors: Salmi, Mehdi, Amarray, Amina, Samih, Youssef, Azzi, Mohammed, EL Ghachtouli, Sanae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 05.05.2023
• Subjects: Carbon nanofibers; Electrodeposition; Electrooxidation; Methanol oxidation reaction (MOR); Nickel sulfide
• ISSN: 2365-6549; 2365-6549
• DOI: 10.1002/slct.202204769

For direct methanol fuel cells, developing low‐cost, highly efficient, and long‐term stable electrocatalysts is crucial. In this work, we report easy and single‐step electrodeposition of nickel sulfide thin film incorporating carbon nanofibers on indium tin oxide (denoted as Ni4S3‐CNF/ITO). The electrodeposited materials were characterized by X‐ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Energy Dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic activity toward Methanol Oxidation Reaction (MOR) was investigated using Cyclic Voltammetry, Chrono‐Amperometry, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. The electrocatalyst exhibited good electrocatalytic activity regarding methanol electrooxidation in an alkaline medium with retention of its activity over a significant period of time. These results indicate that the incorporation of carbon nanofibers into nickel sulfide allows the electrocatalyst to gain higher surface area and high tolerance to the catalyst‐poising species generated during MOR. The electrocatalytic activity of electrodeposited Ni4S3‐CNF/ITO makes it a promising electrocatalyst for low‐cost, high‐efficient fuel cells. Fuel cells represent the green future of energy conversion devices. Focusing on activity‐cost issues, we report here, the preparation of Ni4S3‐CNF/ITO catalyst. The large surface area and good conductance properties of Carbon nanofibers offers a good dispersion of the active components making the catalyst to possess good catalytic activity and excellent stability for MOR. Ni4S3‐CNF/ITO represents a cheap and active catalyst for methanol oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells.