Investigation of Electrocatalytic Methanol Oxidation Performance of Nickel Oxide Supported on Ternary CeLaCuO Nanoparticles

This study investigates the electrocatalytic activity of nickel oxide-supported CeLaCuO nanoparticles (Ni/CeLaCuO) for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). Nickel oxide-supported CeLaCuO nanoparticles were synthesized by a microwave method followed by wet impregnation and calcined to achieve the desired crystal structure and morphology. The materials were extensively characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N₂ porosimetry, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to confirm the morphology, surface area, pore distribution, and elemental composition of the catalysts. The electrochemical performance was assessed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a methanol-alkaline medium environment. The results indicate that NiO decoration over the CeLaCuO support significantly enhances the MOR activity of the latter by improving charge transfer kinetics, exhibiting higher anodic current densities (52.3 mA cm^-2) in 1.0 M CH₃OH + 1.0 M KOH, and displaying lower charge transfer resistance due to the formation of an active NiOOH layer during oxidation. The Ni/CeLaCuO catalyst demonstrated greater stability and increased current density over extended cycles compared to that of unsupported CeLaCuO, indicating that nickel addition promotes both catalytic activity and durability. This study underscores the potential of Ni oxide-supported CeLaCuO material as a cost-effective, high-performance electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation in alkaline media, offering valuable insights for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) development.