Synthesis, characterization and electrocatalytic properties of FeCo alloy nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes

FeCo alloy nanoparticles with diameters about 18 nm were synthesized by wet chemical technique, which were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). XRD analysis indicates that the FeCo alloy nanoparticles supported on the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have body-centered cubic (bcc) phase. TEM images show that the FeCo alloy nanoparticles are in the shape of spheroid on the outer surface of the carbon nanotubes. The electrochemical behavior of film of FeCo/CNT nanocomposites was studied on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The cyclic voltammetry results indicate that the FeCo/CNT nanocomposites film-modified GC electrode shows highly electrocatalytic activity toward hydrogen peroxide reduction in the potassium hydrogen phthalate buffer solution, and the electrocatalytic behavior is attributed to the expected catalytic activity of nanosized FeCo alloy nanoparticles supported on the external walls of carbon nanotubes.