Highly active carbon-supported Ni catalyst prepared by nitrate decomposition with a sacrificial agent for the hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline medium

Abstract Ketjenblack EC-600 JD supported Ni/C electrocatalysts with a nickel content of 50 and 60 wt% were prepared by impregnation with either Ni(OAc)2 or a mixture of Ni(OAc)2 and Ni(NO3)2 precursors, followed by freeze-drying and reduction with H2. XRD, TEM and cyclic voltammetry were applied for characterizing the catalysts. The use of Ni(OAc)2 as a sacrificial agent during decomposition of Ni(NO3)2 allows one to decrease significantly the size of nickel nanoparticles (from 37 to 12 nm) at a very high metal loading. Benefiting from the high dispersion and high specific activity, 60% Ni/Ketjenblack EC-600 JD possesses remarkable mass activity (7 A∙g−1Ni) in the hydrogen oxidation reaction in an alkaline electrolyte.