Methanol Oxidation Reaction in Alkaline Media Using Gold Nanoparticles Recovered from Electronic Waste

• Published in: Materials Vol. 17; no. 6; p. 1267
• Main Authors: Baruch-Soto, Mariana, Magallón-Cacho, Lorena, Ramírez-Aparicio, Jeannete, Ortega-Guzmán, Jesús, Borja-Arco, Edgar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 09.03.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: alkaline fuel cells; Alternative energy; Circular economy; Communication; electrocatalysis; Electrocatalysts; Electrochemical analysis; Electrodes; Electrolytes; Electrolytic cells; Electron diffraction; Electronic components industry; Electronic equipment and supplies; Electronic waste; Energy technology; Fuel cells; Gold; Gold coatings; gold nanoparticles; Green technology; Health risk assessment; Health risks; Methanol; methanol oxidation; Microprocessors; Nanoparticles; Oxidation; Refuse and refuse disposal; Resource recovery; Semiconductor industry; Spectrum analysis; Sustainability; Transmission electron microscopy; Waste disposal; United States; Mexico; St Louis Missouri; United States > US; alkaline fuel cells; methanol oxidation; gold nanoparticles; electrocatalysis; electronic waste
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma17061267

This study investigates the potential of using gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) synthesized from e-waste as electrocatalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), with the aim of applying them as an anode in alkaline direct methanol fuel cells (ADMFCs). The research addresses the pressing environmental challenge of e-waste disposal and explores the recycling of e-waste to obtain valuable materials for sustainable applications. Vulcan-supported gold nanoparticles (Au /C NPs) are synthesized from gold coatings recovered from Intel Pentium 4 processor pins, demonstrating the feasibility of e-waste as electrocatalyst precursors. Comprehensive characterization techniques such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission and transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM, TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are employed to evaluate the structural properties of the electrocatalyst. Electrochemical evaluation in 0.5 M KOH electrolyte by cyclic voltammetry reveals that the synthesized Au /C NPs exhibit electrocatalytic activity (25.5 mA·mg ) comparable to their commercially synthesized counterparts (30.1 mA·mg ). This study highlights the potential for sustainable approaches in the production of electrocatalysts by utilizing e-waste as a source of valuable catalyst materials. It represents a pioneering effort in harnessing e-waste as a sustainable resource, offering new avenues for sustainable energy technologies while addressing environmental concerns and technological challenges in the field of ADMFCs.