Layered
double hydroxides (LDHs) have been known as highly desired
anode materials in the alkaline electrolyte. With regard to non-noble
metal electrocatalysts, the interlayer spacing of LDHs has important
influences on the electrocatalytic activity toward ethanol oxidation.
Herein, ZnCo-LDHs with different interlayer spacing controlled by
different interlayer anions (NO3
–, Cl–, and CH3COO–) are used
as effective non-noble metal electrocatalysts for the ethanol oxidation
reaction (EOR). The interlayer spacing of three non-noble metal electrocatalysts
follows the order: ZnCo-LDH-CH3COO– (0.763
nm) > ZnCo-LDH-Cl– (0.733 nm) > ZnCo-LDH-NO3
– (0.719 nm). ZnCo-LDH-CH3COO– exhibits the highest mass activity (345.4 mA mg–1) for the EOR, which is 1.22 and 1.37 times higher
than that of ZnCo-LDH-Cl– (283.8 mA mg–1) and ZnCo-LDH-NO3
– (252.8 mA mg–1), respectively, attributed to the enlarged interlayer
space. This work proposes a potential mechanism of the catalytic process
toward the EOR, which may provide a new idea to design non-noble metal
electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity in direct ethanol fuel
cells (DEFCs).