Cobalt and copper-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles as catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells

Cobalt and copper-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles prepared according to a method comprising:

• preparing a gel including iron nitrate, cobalt nitrate, nickel nitrate, copper nitrate, and citric acid;
• drying the gel to provide a dried gel;
• burning the dried gel to provide a brittle mass;
• reducing the brittle mass to a powder;
• and
• calcining the powder to provide cobalt and copper-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles;
• and
• wherein the gel is prepared by:
• dissolving iron nitrate in water to provide an iron nitrate solution;
• dissolving cobalt nitrate in water to provide a cobalt nitrate solution;
• dissolving nickel nitrate in water to provide a nickel nitrate solution;
• combining the iron nitrate solution, the cobalt nitrate solution, and the nickel nitrate solution to provide a first mixture;
• adding copper nitrate to the first mixture to provide a second mixture;
• adding a capping agent to the second mixture to provide a third mixture;
• adjusting a pH of the third mixture to provide an alkaline solution;
• heating the alkaline solution to provide a heated solution;
• and
• sealing the heated solution to provide a gel;
• wherein the cobalt and copper-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles have the general formula CuxCoxNi(1-x)Fe2O4;
• wherein x equals about 0.03 to about 0.05;
• and
• wherein the cobalt and copper-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles are sponge-like with irregularly shaped pores.