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Synthesis of 3D Flower-Like Ni0.6Zn0.4O Microspheres for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol

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Abstract

The 3D flower-like Ni0.6Zn0.4O microspheres were prepared by calcination treatment of Ni–Zn LDHs (layered double hydroxides) that were obtained through a hydrothermal method. The yielded Ni0.6Zn0.4O microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The results showed that the calcinated microspheres of Ni0.6Zn0.4O still well maintained the flower-like architecture of Ni–Zn LDHs. The surface area, total pore volume, and average pore diameter of the Ni0.6Zn0.4O microspheres were obtained with the values of 36.106 m2 g−1, 0.111 cm3 g−1, and 5.676 nm, respectively. As modified anode active materials, the Ni0.6Zn0.4O microspheres exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performance and fast electrochemical kinetics for methanol oxidation in strong alkaline electrolyte where the high surface area of flower-like Ni0.6Zn0.4O microspheres provides the high contact probability between catalysts and reactants. The presence of Zn also improves the electron transfer within catalysts inside. Also, the Ni0.6Zn0.4O modified electrode maintained good electrocatalytic performance during the term of 36,000 s.

Diagram of the formation of the flower-like Ni0.6Zn0.4O microspheres and CVs of Ni0.6Zn0.4O/GCE (a, d), NiO/GCE (b, e), and ZnO/GCE (c, f) in KOH solution without (a–c) and with (d–f) 0.1 M methanol.

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Author notes

  1. Shengliang Wei, Lihong Qian, and Dongling Jia contributed equally to this work and should be considered as co-first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Bismuth Science, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200093, China

    Shengliang Wei, Lihong Qian & Yuqing Miao

  2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, 201318, China

    Dongling Jia

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  1. Shengliang Wei
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  2. Lihong Qian
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Correspondence to Shengliang Wei or Yuqing Miao.

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Wei, S., Qian, L., Jia, D. et al. Synthesis of 3D Flower-Like Ni0.6Zn0.4O Microspheres for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol. Electrocatalysis 10, 540–548 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-019-00542-5

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