Abstract

Background: To meet the challenge of rising demand for energy, at the same time, reducing environmental pollution, the energy synthesis through electrochemical oxidation of fuels, in fuel cell is a promising alternative green energy technology. Development of fuel cell lies on exhaustive research on development of high energetic electro catalytic electrodes over which fuels break to produce free electron and ions, delivering the electrical energy.

Methods: The present work aims at developing two electrocatalytic materials: NiO and MnO2, both impregnated with Nano Carbon by electro synthesis method. Sugar cane is an abundantly grown crops, having 65-75% of sugar, in the form of sucrose. The performance of the materials were investigated by electrochemical characterization: cyclic voltammetry, chronoammetry, polarization tests and impedance spectroscopy.

Results: The materials were found to deliver a high current on electro oxidation of sugar cane syrup. The effect of Nano carbon on NiO and MnO2 has enhanced the current to a level of over 100mA/cm2. XRD study showed the presence of metal oxides and carbon. The electron microscopy images revealed fine grain oxides with entrapped nano carbon. The carbon seems to be in the form of graphene, produced during electrochemical exfoliation at anode. The SEM morphology of enhanced 3D surface area with high energetic graphene phase entrapped with fine structure metal oxides, account for the high current obtained by electro oxidation of the fuel.

Conclusion: The present investigation opens up a new way and technology of producing energy at a economically viable rate, compared to conventional electrical energy production The materials developed are found to be very good energetic electrodes for future fuel cell in automotive industry.

Keywords: Electro catalytic energy materials, electrochemical characterization, electrochemical energy, fuel cell electrode, impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, sugar cane renewable fuel, X ray diffraction.

Graphical Abstract