Integrated cathode with in-situ grown MnCo2O4/NC/MnO2 catalyst layer for alkaline liquid fuel cells

This study was conducted to develop new fabrication techniques and achieve improved performance of the cathode in liquid fuel cells. An integrated electrode with a sandwich-structured MnCo2O4/NC/MnO2 catalyst was prepared by in-situ growth on nickel foam. The resulting integrated electrode was tested as the cathode of the alkaline direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) and direct borohydride fuel cell (DBFC). The data indicated peak power density of 12.22 mW cm-2 for DMFC, and 33.65 mW cm-2 for DBFC. The in-situ growth of the MnCo2O4/NC/MnO2 catalyst layer, without an organic binder, indicated a superior catalytic activity to that of MnCo2O4 and MnCo2O4/NC. Moreover, stability test conducted at a constant-current discharge of 10 mA cm-2 for the integrated cathode-based DBFC revealed excellent stability for about 350 h. Compared to that of traditional cathode prepared by doctor-blade method, traditional cathode showed a significantly diminished discharge voltage. Thus, the highly dispersed nanocatalysts and the macroporous nickel foam accelerated the intrinsic catalytic activity and mass transfer in the cathode. This work provides a new strategy for the preparation and structure optimization of fuel cell electrodes. (c) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study aimed to develop new fabrication techniques for improving the performance of cathodes in liquid fuel cells. An integrated electrode with a sandwich-structured MnCo2O4/NC/MnO2 catalyst was prepared by in-situ growth on nickel foam. The resulting electrode showed promising results as the cathode in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) and direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFC), with peak power densities of 12.22 mW cm-2 and 33.65 mW cm-2, respectively. The in-situ growth of the MnCo2O4/NC/MnO2 catalyst layer exhibited superior catalytic activity compared to other catalysts. Stability tests showed excellent performance of the integrated cathode-based DBFC for approximately 350 hours. This work provides a new strategy for the preparation and optimization of fuel cell electrodes.