Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol.94, No.4, 1167-1172, 2011
Electrocatalytic Activity of the Conductive Alumina/NCN Composite Electrode by Electro-Depositing NiCu Particles for Methanol Oxidation
Electrically conductive ceramics have been paid great interest in development of high-performance electro-catalysts. This paper mainly described the electrochemical activity of the NiCu/Al(2)O(3)/NCN composite electrode, which was the novel conductive alumina/nanocarbon network (NCN) composite electrode modified by electrodepositing NiCu particles, as an electro-catalyst for methanol oxidation in alkaline solution. Field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) observation and energy diffraction X-ray spectroscopy analysis verified that NiCu particles were successfully coelectrodeposited onto the surface of the conductive alumina/NCN materials. The study also revealed that NiCu particles were briefly deposited and distributed over the carbon layer of the conductive ceramics, in the form of NiCu solid solution with face-centered cubic structure. The results of electrochemical test showed that the NiCu/Al(2)O(3)/NCN composite electrode had a high electro-catalytic activity and stability, and had a potential application as an efficient electro-catalyst for electro-oxidation of methanol.