Synthesis and characterizations of Ni-NiO nanoparticles on PDDA-modified graphene for oxygen reduction reaction

Tung-Yuan Yung; Li-Ying Huang; Tzu-Yi Chan; Kuan-Syun Wang; Ting-Yu Liu; Po-Tuan Chen; Chi-Yang Chao; Ling-Kang Liu

doi:10.1186/1556-276X-9-444

Synthesis and characterizations of Ni-NiO nanoparticles on PDDA-modified graphene for oxygen reduction reaction

Nanoscale Res Lett. 2014 Aug 28;9(1):444. doi: 10.1186/1556-276X-9-444. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Tung-Yuan Yung¹, Li-Ying Huang², Tzu-Yi Chan³, Kuan-Syun Wang³, Ting-Yu Liu³, Po-Tuan Chen⁴, Chi-Yang Chao⁵, Ling-Kang Liu⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physics, National Central University, Jhongli, Taoyuan 320, Taiwan ; Molecular Science and Technology, Taiwan International Graduate Program/Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan ; Nuclear Fuels and Materials Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Lontan, Taoyuan 325, Taiwan.
² Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
³ Department of Materials Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 24301, Taiwan.
⁴ Center for Condensed Mater Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
⁵ Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
⁶ Molecular Science and Technology, Taiwan International Graduate Program/Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan.

Abstract

We are presenting our recent research results about the Ni-NiO nanoparticles on poly-(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)-modified graphene sheet (Ni-NiO/PDDA-G) nanocomposites prepared by the hydrothermal method at 90°C for 24 h. The Ni-NiO nanoparticles on PDDA-modified graphene sheets are measured by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern for exploring the structural evidence to apply in the electrochemical catalysts. The size of Ni-NiO nanoparticles is around 5 nm based on TEM observations. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show the Ni in the (012), (110), (110), (200), and (220) crystalline orientations, respectively. Moreover, the crystalline peaks of NiO are found in (111) and (220). The thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) result represents the loading content of the Ni metal which is about 34.82 wt%. The electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis/X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA/XPS) reveals the Ni(0) to Ni(II) ratio in metal phase. The electrochemical studies with Ni-NiO/PDDA-G in 0.5 M aqueous H2SO4 were studied for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).

Keywords: Fuel cells; Graphene; Ni; NiO; ORR; PDDA.