In Situ, Fast, High‐Temperature Synthesis of Nickel Nanoparticles in Reduced Graphene Oxide Matrix. Issue 11 (13th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yiju; Chen, Yanan; Nie, Anmin; Lu, Aijiang; Jacob, Rohit Jiji; Gao, Tingting; Song, Jianwei; Dai, Jiaqi; Wan, Jiayu; Pastel, Glenn; Zachariah, Michael R.; Yassar, Reza Shahbazian; Hu, Liangbing
• Is Part Of: Advanced energy materials. Volume 7:Issue 11(2017)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-01-13
• Subjects: carbon coating -- electro‐oxidation -- energy nanoparticles -- high temperature -- in situ synthesis; Energy harvesting -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Materials -- Periodicals; Photovoltaics -- Periodicals; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; Thermoelectric materials -- Periodicals; 621.31
• DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201601783
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1614-6832

Abstract

Abstract : For the first time, a fast heating–cooling process is reported for the synthesis of carbon‐coated nickel (Ni) nanoparticles on a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) matrix (nano‐Ni@C/RGO) as a high‐performance H2 O2 fuel catalyst. The Joule heating temperature can reach up to ≈2400 K and the heating time can be less than 0.1 s. Ni microparticles with an average diameter of 2 µm can be directly converted into nanoparticles with an average diameter of 75 nm. The Ni nanoparticles embedded in RGO are evaluated for electro‐oxidation performance as a H2 O2 fuel in a direct peroxide–peroxide fuel cell, which exhibits an electro‐oxidation current density of 602 mA cm −2 at 0.2 V (vs Ag/AgCl), ≈150 times higher than the original Ni microparticles embedded in the RGO matrix (micro‐Ni/RGO). The high‐temperature, fast Joule heating process also leads to a 4–5 nm conformal carbon coating on the surface of the Ni nanoparticles, which anchors them to the RGO nanosheets and leads to an excellent catalytic stability. The newly developed nano‐Ni@C/RGO composites by Joule heating hold great promise for a range of emerging energy applications, including the advanced anode materials of fuel cells. Abstract : Carbon‐encapsulated nickel nanoparticles are homogenously anchored on a reduced graphene oxide (RGO) film through an ultrafast, high‐temperature, and in situ Joule heating process. The in situ‐synthesized nickel nanoparticles on the RGO film exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance toward hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) electro‐oxidation and show great promise as an anode material for direct peroxide–peroxide fuel cells.