Nickel nanoparticles decorated on carbon quantum dots as a novel non-platinum catalyst for methanol oxidation; a green, low-cost, electrochemically-synthesized electrocatalyst

Abstract The methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is catalyzed by non- platinum catalysts of nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NPs) that deposited on a modified glassy carbon electrode by reduced carbon quantum dots (RCQD). The cyclic voltammetry (CV), and chronoamperometry (CA) techniques are used for the electrodeposition process. Then the morphology and structure of electrodeposited materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that Ni-NPs are homogeneously electrodeposited on the surface of CQDs. Also, the catalysis of MOR on electrodes is investigated by different electrochemical techniques like CV and CA, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The electrochemical behavior of electrodes for MOR has been informed with several parameters. For example, for Ni-NPs/RCQDs/GCE, the peak current density at E= 0.56 V,vs. Ag/AgCl was 32 mA.cm-2 that is higher than of Ni-NPs/GCE. Also, the this catalyst shows excellent stability and high current at constant voltage.