Tailor-designed binary Ni-Cu nano dendrites decorated 3D-carbon felts for efficient glycerol electrooxidation

Herein, 3D-Carbon Felt (CF) are decorated with nickel-copper (Ni-Cu@CF) bimetallic nanostructures through either sequential or co-electrodeposition tactics. Their catalytic activity towards glycerol electrooxidation is investigated by employing cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry LSV. The morphology and composition of the various Ni-Cu@CF are investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) together with various electrochemical measurements (e.g., CV, chronoamperometry, LSV). The co-deposition of Ni-Cu shows a dendritic-like structure with higher electrocatalytic activity towards glycerol electrooxidation compared to the monometallic counterparts. Interestingly, the best electrode (NiCu@CF Ni particles as the top layer) prepared by sequential electrodeposition shows 1.6-fold higher glycerol oxidation activity, manifested in oxidation current, compared to Ni-coated CF due to Ni particles covering the surface of dendritic copper uniformly. Thus, the surface concentration of Ni is increased and at the same time a synergistic effect occurs between Ni and Cu by the simple addition of Cu which reinforces the surface concentration of Ni from 3.4 x 10(-8) to 1.1 x 10(-7) mol cm(-2).

Automated summary

Nickel-copper bimetallic nanostructures are decorated on 3D carbon felt through sequential or co-electrodeposition tactics. The catalytic activity of these structures towards glycerol electrooxidation is investigated through various electrochemical measurements. The co-deposition of Ni-Cu shows a dendritic-like structure with higher electrocatalytic activity compared to the monometallic counterparts. The best electrode, prepared by sequential electrodeposition, shows significantly enhanced glycerol oxidation activity.