Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on Ni and NiCu alloy modified glassy carbon electrode

The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) has recently received a good deal of attention for both mobile and stationary applications [1,2]. Methanol as fuel has been numerous advantages such as simple operation and ease of fuel storage and distribution. However, compared to the hydrogen based fuel cells, DMFC still remains to be further developed. Different electrode materials were used as a catalyst for the electro-chemical oxidation of methanol such as, Pt-Ru and Pt-Ru- P/carbon nano-composites [3], Pt/Ni and Pt/Ru/Ni alloy nano-particles [4]. The use of alkaline solutions in a fuel cell has many advantages such as increasing its efficiency [5,6], a wider selection of possible electrode materials, a higher efficiency of both anodic and cathodic processes, almost no sensitivity to the surface structure [7] and negligible poisoning effects in alkaline solutions were observed [8,9]. The purpose of the present work is to study the electrochemical oxidation of methanol on a nickel and Nickel-copper alloy modified glassy carbon electrode in a solution of 1 M NaOH.