Influence of Non-Conducting Zirconia on the Electrochemical Performance of Nickel Oxide in Alkaline Media at Room Temperature

Author(s)

Neil Spinner
William E. Mustain, University of South Carolina - ColumbiaFollow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

A composite of nickel(II) oxide and tetragonal-phase zirconia was synthesized using a co-precipitation technique and its performance as a bifunctional electrocatalyst in carbonate alkaline media at room temperature was examined. It was found that the non-conducting tetragonal-phase zirconia was active to adsorb carbonate anions, abstract oxygen and donate activated oxygen species to nickel oxide. NiO provided electronic conductivity and electrocatalytically active sites to facilitate the partial oxidation of methane to oxygenates at room temperature. This discovery of oxidation reactions utilizing carbonate anions could potentially open the door to new avenues of research for alternative alkaline electrochemical cells operating at low temperature with CO₃2− as the transport ion.

Publication Info

Published in Journal of Power Sources, Volume 159, Issue 12, Fall 2012, pages E187-E192.

Rights

© Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 2012, Electrochemical Society

Spinner, N., & Mustain, W. (2012). Influence of Non-Conducting Zirconia on the Electrochemical Performance of Nickel Oxide in Alkaline Media at Room Temperature. Journal Of The Electrochemical Society, 159(12), E187-E192.

doi: 10.1149/2.051212jes