Materializing efficient methanol oxidation via electron delocalization in nickel hydroxide nanoribbon.
Xiaopeng WangShibo XiWee Siang Vincent LeePengru HuangPeng CuiLei ZhaoWeichang HaoXinsheng ZhaoZhen-Bo WangHaijun WuHao WangCaozheng DiaoArmando BorgnaYong-Hua DuZhi Gen YuStephen PennycookJun Min XuePublished in: Nature communications (2020)
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.
Keyphrases
- carbon dioxide
- reduced graphene oxide
- metal organic framework
- single cell
- hydrogen peroxide
- electron transfer
- cell therapy
- visible light
- gold nanoparticles
- room temperature
- molecular dynamics
- climate change
- mesenchymal stem cells
- carbon nanotubes
- nitric oxide
- risk assessment
- bone marrow
- density functional theory
- highly efficient
- transition metal