PREPARATION AND CHARECTERIZATION OF Ni-Co ELECTRODES FOR ALCOHOLIC FUEL CELLS

Abstract

Electrocatalytic electrode surface were developed for alcoholic fuel cell by electrodeposition of Ni-Co alloy on a 301 stainless steel foil. Material characterization by EDX and XRD confirmed deposition of Ni-Co alloy on the steel substrate. SEM showed nodular and/or angular particles and subparticles of the alloy coating. The erosion resistance of the deposited electrodes was characterized by hardness test which showed excellent hardness to resist the erosion. The electrocatalytic activity of the coated electrodes were characterized by potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry tests in anodic solution for electrochemical oxidation of methanol and ethanol. Polarization study showed very much increase in corrosion current density for the coated electrode compare to bare stainless steel. The EIS test showed that polarization resistance of coated sample was drastically reduced compare to the bare substrate. The electrical equivalent circuit at the metal solution interface was found to be closed to Randle circuit. The cyclic voltammetry results show that higher peaks for the alcohol oxidation compared to the bare substrate. The deposits performed at current densities