ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Highly active electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation based on gold nanodendrites modified with NiFe₂O₄ nanoparticles decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Masoumeh Taei, Elaheh Havakeshian, Hossein Salavati, and Mojtaba Azemati

Payame Noor University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

E-mail: hosseinsalavati@yahoo.com

Abstract: A nanocomposite consisting of NiFe₂O₄ spinel and multi-walled carbon nanotubes was produced according to citrate sol–gel method. Then, it is coated on the electrodeposited gold nanodendrites modified electrode (NiFe₂O₄–MWCNTs/AuNDs/GCE), and was utilized to electrocatalyze ethanol oxidation. NiFe₂O₄–MWCNTs/AuNDs/GCE provides higher active surface area and stability compared to AuNDs/GCE, so that it induced superior current density toward ethanol oxidation about. In fact, the spaghetti-like NiFe₂O₄–MWCNTs could create –OH_ads on the electrode, which decreases significantly the adsorption of poisonous intermediate substrates on the surface of gold nanostructures, and consequently amplifies charge transfer kinetic compared to bare GCE during the ethanol oxidation reaction.

Keywords: NiFe₂O₄ Nanoparticles decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes ; Gold nanodendrites modified electrode ; Ethanol oxidation ; Alkaline fuel cell 

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-019-00820-y

Chemical Papers 73 (11) 2687–2695 (2019)