NiO micro/nanoparticles decorated carbon-based anode for the fuel cell applications in alkaline medium

In this study, a non-enzymatic and low-cost method was presented for fuel cell applications in alkaline medium based on the utilization of nickel oxide micro/nanoparticles (NiOMNPs) for carbon-based anode fabrication. NiOMNPs were synthesized through a practical strategy, namely, wet chemical precipitation method. Due to the fact that NiOMNPs can catalyze the oxidation reactions of various organic compounds in alkaline medium, the performance of NiOMNPs decorated carbon paste electrode (CPE) was examined using cyclic voltammetry to select the most appropriate fuel to construct the fuel cell. After the optimization of NiOMNPs amount on CPE, electrocatalytic behavior of NiOMNPs/CPE in alkaline medium was investigated for the ethanol oxidation reaction. Two-compartment ethanol fuel cell using a salt bridge was fabricated to calculate power density and current density values. The results showed that NiOMNPs/CPE could be an alternative to the anodes utilized in enzymatic and microbial fuel cells. Graphic abstract: