Cobalt and copper-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles as catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells
AssigneeKing Faisal University
InventorsHany Mohamed Abd El-Lateef Ahmed, Mai Mustafa Khalaf Ali, Ibrahim Abdelhamid Mohamed Elsayed Elshaer, Hadyl Hany Mohamed Abd El-Lateef
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Abstract
Cobalt and copper-doped nickel Cu/Co—Ni-ferrite nanoparticles having a general formula CuxCoxNi(1-x)Fe2O4 can be a catalyst for electrooxidation of methanol in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The catalyst can be an efficient anode for DMFC in alkaline electrolytes. The Cu/Co—Ni-ferrite nanoparticles can have a sponge-like structure with irregular pores. A diameter of the Cu/Co—Ni-ferrite nanoparticles can range from about 8 nm to about 30 nm.
Claims4
A method of preparing cobalt and copper-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles, comprising:
- preparing a gel including iron nitrate, cobalt nitrate, nickel nitrate, copper nitrate, and a capping agent;
- drying the gel to provide a dried gel, wherein drying the gel comprises heating the gel to a temperature ranging from about 90° C. to about 110° C. for a period of time ranging from about 8 hours to about 12 hours;
- burning the dried gel to provide a brittle mass, wherein burning the dried gel includes heating the dried gel at a temperature ranging from about 165° C. to about 175° C. for a period of time ranging from about 30 minutes to about 2 hours;
- reducing the brittle mass to a powder;
- and
- calcining the powder to provide cobalt and copper-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles, wherein the powder is calcined for about two hours to about five hours at a temperature ranging from about 400° C. to about 450° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.