Reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-supported NiCo2O4 nanoparticles: an electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation

The design and development of cheap, highly active, and durable non-platinum (Pt)-based electrocatalysts for methanol electrooxidation is highly desirable, but is a challenging task. In this paper, we demonstrate the application of a hydrothermally synthesized NiCo2O4-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite as an electrocatalyst for the electrochemical oxidation of methanol in alkaline pH. The physicochemical properties of the NiCo2O4-RGO composite were investigated via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. The physical characterization methods confirm the deposition of NiCo2O4 nanoparticles on the RGO surface. The TEM image shows that the NiCo2O4 nanoparticles with an average size of similar to 10 nm are distributed over the RGO surface. Compared to RGO and NiCo2O4 nanoparticles, the NiCo2O4-RGO-based electrode shows excellent electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of methanol in alkaline pH. On the NiCo2O4-RGO-based electrode, the oxidation of methanol occurs at similar to 0.6 V with a higher catalytic current density, and the response is highly stable. The excellent electrocatalytic activity of the NiCo2O4-RGO composite is attributed to the synergistic effects between the NiCo2O4 nanoparticles and RGO. Since the NiCo2O4-RGO composite shows a highly stable response during methanol oxidation reaction, it is a very promising material to be used as an electrocatalyst in the development of high performance non-Pt based alkaline fuel cells.