Show simple item record

AuthorGhouri, Zafar Khan
AuthorAl-Meer, Saeed
AuthorBarakat, Nasser A. M.
AuthorKim, Hak Yong
Available date2017-05-14T11:33:53Z
Publication Date2017-05-11
Publication NameScientific Reports
Identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01463-3
CitationGhouri, Zafar Khan., Al-Meer, Saeed., Barakat, Nasser A. M., Kim, Hak Yong., ZnO@C (core@shell) microspheres derived from spent coffee grounds as applicable non-precious electrode material for DMFCs, Scientific Reports, 7:1738, 2017, DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-01463-3
ISSN2045-2322
IdentifierArticle number: 1738
URIhttp://hdl.handle.net/10576/5495
AbstractAlthough numerous reports have introduced non precious electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation, most of those studies did not consider the corresponding high onset potential which restricts utilization in real fuel cells. In this study, an −90 mV [vs. Ag/AgCl] onset potential non-precious electrocatalyst is introduced as an applicable anode material for the direct methanol fuel cells. Moreover, the proposed material was prepared from a cheap and abundantly existing resource; the spent coffee grounds. Typically, the spent coffee grounds were facilely converted to core@shell (ZnO@C) microspheres through a two-step approach, involving chemical activation and a subsequent calcination at temperature of 700 °C. Activation of the carbon derived from the spent coffee grounds was performed with ZnCl2 which acts as pore-forming agent as well as a precursor for the ZnO. The structure and morphology were characterized by (XRD), (SEM), and (TEM) analyses while the electrochemical characterizations was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. Besides the comparatively very low onset potential, the introduced microspheres exhibited relatively high current density; 17 mA/cm2. Overall, based on the advantages of the green source of carbon and the good electrocatalytic activity, the spent coffee grounds-derived carbon can be considered a promise anode material for the DMFCs.
SponsorThis Publication was made possible by NPRP grant # [8-1344-1-246] from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The findings achieved herein are solely the responsibility of authors.
Languageen
PublisherNature Publishing Group
SubjectZnO@C
Fuel cells
Energy science and technology
DMFCs
TitleZnO@C (core@shell) microspheres derived from spent coffee grounds as applicable non-precious electrode material for DMFCs
TypeArticle
Volume Number7
ESSN2045-2322
dc.accessType Open Access


Files in this item

Thumbnail

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record