Titanium dioxide-coated nickel foam photoelectrodes for direct urea fuel cell applications

Abdul Hai Alami, Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, Mohammed Faraj, Kamilia Aokal and Nada Al Safarini

Energy, 2020, vol. 208, issue C

Abstract: In this work we report on the manufacturing and testing of a photoelectrode made from nickel foam covered with titanium dioxide for potential use as a photoanode in direct urea fuel cells. The microstructure and composition of these electrodes were examined, and their electrochemical response to illumiation documented. The electrodes offer two main advantages for photo-assisted applications, namely transperacy as well as good electrical conductivity. The electrodes were placed in a sodium hydroxide solution that is taken as a reference, against which chronopotentiometric measurements were taken for various concentrations of urea in the solution (from 0.05 to 0.7 M). The results show that the prepared photoanode exhibited high photcatalytic activity towards urea oxidation where 80% more photocurrent generated in case of 0.07 M urea compared to that obtained in case of the base solution and thus the 0.07 M is the optimum urea concentration for the application in hand. This is a promising result for photoassisted direct urea fuel cell applicaitons that could benefit from a replacement to the otherwise expensive Pt electrodes.

Keywords: Photoresponse; Nickel foam; Direct urea fuel cells; Photo-assisted fuel cells (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:208:y:2020:i:c:s0360544220313608

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.118253

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