Materializing efficient methanol oxidation via electron delocalization in nickel hydroxide nanoribbon

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 4647
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaopeng, Xi, Shibo, Lee, Wee Siang Vincent, Huang, Pengru, Cui, Peng, Zhao, Lei, Hao, Weichang, Zhao, Xinsheng, Wang, Zhenbo, Wu, Haijun, Wang, Hao, Diao, Caozheng, Borgna, Armando, Du, Yonghua, Yu, Zhi Gen, Pennycook, Stephen, Xue, Junmin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group 16.09.2020; Nature Publishing Group UK; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: Catalysts; Charge transfer; Chemical reduction; Energy levels; Fuel cells; Fuel technology; MATERIALS SCIENCE; Methanol; Nanoribbons; Nickel; Nickel compounds; Orbitals; Oxidation; Oxygen reduction reactions; Platinum; Reaction kinetics
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18459-9

Abstract Achieving a functional and durable non-platinum group metal-based methanol oxidation catalyst is critical for a cost-effective direct methanol fuel cell. While Ni(OH) 2 has been widely studied as methanol oxidation catalyst, the initial process of oxidizing Ni(OH) 2 to NiOOH requires a high potential of 1.35 V vs. RHE. Such potential would be impractical since the theoretical potential of the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction is at 1.23 V. Here we show that a four-coordinated nickel atom is able to form charge-transfer orbitals through delocalization of electrons near the Fermi energy level. As such, our previously reported periodically arranged four-six-coordinated nickel hydroxide nanoribbon structure (NR-Ni(OH) 2 ) is able to show remarkable methanol oxidation activity with an onset potential of 0.55 V vs. RHE and suggests the operability in direct methanol fuel cell configuration. Thus, this strategy offers a gateway towards the development of high performance and durable non-platinum direct methanol fuel cell.