Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Biomass-Based Activated-Carbon-Supported Nickel Nanoparticles for Hydrazine Oxidation

In this study we present an application of wood biomass—alder wood char—as the carbon precursor for the synthesis of novel and sustainable nitrogen-doped activated-carbon-supported nickel nanoparticle catalyst (AWC-Ni-N) for hydrazine oxidation. For comparison, the wood-based carbon material doped with nitrogen only (AWC-N) was also synthesized. Extensive characterization, including SEM, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and XRD revealed the catalysts’ microstructure and properties. Electrochemical testing demonstrated that the AWC-Ni-N catalyst significantly enhanced the efficiency of the hydrazine oxidation reaction. In addition, direct N2H4-H2O2 single-fuel-cell tests were conducted using the prepared AWC-N and AWC-Ni-N catalysts as the anodes and cathodes. Peak power densities of up to 10.8 mW cm−2 were achieved at 25 °C, corresponding to a current density of 27 mA cm−2 and a cell voltage of 0.4 V when the AWC-Ni-N catalyst was used as both the anode and cathode. Furthermore, the peak power density increased by approximately 1.6 and 2.9 times, respectively, when the operating temperature was raised from 25 °C to 55 °C for the AWC-N and AWC-Ni-N catalysts. Overall, the AWC-N and AWC-Ni-N catalysts demonstrated significant potential as anode and cathode materials in direct N2H4-H2O2 fuel cells.