Enabling methanol oxidation by an interacting hybrid nanosystem of spinel Co 3 O 4 nanoparticle decorated MXenes

• Published in: Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry 2022-03, Vol.51 (11), p.4324-4337
• Main Authors: Baruah, Kashmiri, Deb, Pritam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1477-9226; 1477-9234
• DOI: 10.1039/D1DT03671H

For the successful implementation of direct methanol fuel cells in commercial applications, highly efficient and durable non-noble electrocatalysts based on conducting and stable non-carbonaceous supports can be potential candidates. Herein, spinel Co O nanoparticles are decorated over Ti C MXene nanosheets for methanol oxidation. The hybrid nanosystem Ti C /Co O (TC) reduces restacking of MXene nanosheets, which offers a larger surface area for Co O dispersion, leading to a shorter path for the charge carriers. TC coated on glassy carbon (GC) exhibits a MOR current density of 38.38 A g which is 2.9 times higher than that of Co O /GC in 1.5 M methanol at a 20 mV s scan rate. The hydrophilic terminations on the surface of MXenes create strong interactions with the Co O nanoparticles, which increase the MOR kinetics of the nanocomposite. A low onset potential (0.32 V), high oxidation current density of the nanocomposite, efficient durability and cycling stability up to 200 CV cycles make this nanocomposite a better alternative to the state-of-the-art noble-metal electrocatalysts.