Development of nanostructured materials based on nickel and platinum for electro-oxidation of ammonia

• Grant number: 16/11950-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Estevam Vitorio Spinacé
• Grantee: Débora Maria Aguiar de Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims at the development and application of nanostructured electrocatalysts for ammonia electro-oxidation. The developed materials will be made of nickel and platinum, and will be supported on high surface area carbon. For this, nanoparticles will be prepared with different structures, such as, nickel nanoparticles decorated with platinum and PtNi alloys. Also Pt:Ni atomic ratios will be evaluated.. The materials will be characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic activity of developed materials will be performed by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry experiments. Thus, it will be sought to replace high Pt content of the electrocatalysts by nickel and increase the electrocatalytic activity for ammonia electro-oxidation with a reduction of electrocatalysts costs because nickel is considerably cheaper than Pt.