Preparation of Pd-Modified Ni Foam Electrodes and Their Use as Anodes for the Oxidation of Alcohols in Basic Media

Abstract

Pd-modified Ni foam electrodes were prepared by a spontaneous deposition method. Ni foam samples were immersed in acid PdCl 2 solutions for different durations (t SD ). The Pd loading and the surface area of the Pd deposits were determined as a function of [PdCl 2 ] and t SD . SEM-EDX showed that Pd deposits were homogeneously formed on the walls of both the outer and the inner cells of the Ni foam. Pd-modified Ni foam electrodes were used as anodes for the oxidation of methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerol in basic media. Voltammetric curves for the oxidation of alcohols showed that the peak current increased with increasing Pd loading in a sub-linear way. For the lowest loading explored (ca. 1 mg of Pd in a 1 cm 3 foam volume), the peak current per unit Pd mass was of the order of 650 Ag −1 for 0.5 M methanol and ethanol, ca. 1,500 Ag −1 for glycerol and higher than 2,000 Ag −1 for ethylene glycol.

Enhancement of Ethanol Oxidation Reaction on Pt (PtSn)-Activated Nickel Foam Through In situ Formation of Nickel Oxy-Hydroxide Layer

“…0.50-0.90 V) upon the reverse scan towards the hydrogen reversible potential is generally assigned to the process of surface oxidation of CO ads. species [16,[24][25][26].…”

“…Thus, employment of highly modifiable, large specific surface area nickel foam could be a key point in the development of low noble metal level and highly electroactive catalyst composites for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells [14][15][16]. In addition, nickel foam itself could be made catalytic for alcohol oxidation reaction through the surface formation of extensive oxide/hydroxide layer [5,[17][18][19].…”

“…In addition, nickel foam itself could be made catalytic for alcohol oxidation reaction through the surface formation of extensive oxide/hydroxide layer [5,[17][18][19]. Nickel foams are usually produced by chemical vapour deposition (CVD), physical vapour deposition (PVD) and electrochemical or electroless deposition method with a polyurethane foam precursor [16,[20][21][22]. Extensive structural and electrochemical characterizations of the CVD-based nickel foam were published by Grden et al [21] and by van Drunen et al [22,23].…”

“…Thus, in this contribution, Ptand PtSn-modified Ni foam electrodes were prepared by means of spontaneous deposition methods [16,30,33,34]. Such obtained catalyst materials were then subjected to in situ formation of surface nickel oxy-hydroxide layer via extended cyclic voltammetry treatments, carried out in 0.1 M NaOH solution, in the presence of 0.5 M ethanol.…”

Spontaneous Deposition of Iridium onto Nickel Substrates for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

“…Spontaneous deposition is one approach whereby noble metals can be coated onto Ni substrates [6][7][8][9][10]. In this method, the noble metal precursor is reduced onto the surface of Ni substrate through the oxidation of the Ni to Ni 2+ [6,7].…”