Employment of Au/Co and Au/CoB as materials for anodes in borohydride–hydrogen peroxide fuel cells

Abstract

Au nanoparticles modified Co and CoB coatings deposited on the Cu surface are studied as anode materials for direct NaBH4–H2O2 fuel cells. The catalysts are prepared via electroless deposition of Co or CoB layers on the Cu surface followed by galvanic displacement of hierarchical Co by Au. The performance of direct borohydride–hydrogen peroxide fuel cells (DBHPFCs) using Au/Co/Cu
or Au/CoB/Cu as the anode and Pt as the cathode is studied at different temperatures. A 1 M NaBH4 + 4 M NaOH solution is used as the anolyte and 5 M H2O2 + 1.5 M HCl is used as the catholyte, with a Nafion N117 membrane separating the two compartments. The DBHPFC using Au/Co/Cu and Au/CoB/Cu
as the anode catalyst exhibits high electrochemical performance compared to that using Co/Cu and CoB/Cu as the anode catalyst. The highest specific peak power densities of 33.9 kW gAu–1 at 25 °C, at the current density of 150 mA cm–2 and cell voltage of 0.70 V and 58.1 kW gAu–1 at 55 °C, at 240 mA cm–2 and 0.75 V were attained using the Au/CoB/Cu anode with the Au loading of 3.1 µgAu cm–2.