Fabrication and characterization of gold nanoparticles and fullerene-C60 nanocomposite film at glassy carbon electrode as potential electro-catalyst towards the methanol oxidation

Development of low cost anodic materials and high efficient electro-kinetics of methanol in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) has been a promising approach. However it has not been successfully reached to market from laboratory due to its high cost and low kinetic oxidation. Both issues encounter from one of its main components, the catalyst. Therefore, present work focuses upon the development of new catalyst material and optimization of various most significant influencing parameters of a high performance DMFC. We have developed a nanocomposite material employing gold nanoparticles and fullerene-C-60 at glassy carbon electrode (AuNP@reduced-fullerene-C-60/GCE) as anode for high performance oxidation of methanol. Fullerene-C-60 was manually dropped on pre treated GCE and partially electro-reduced in KOH to make it more conductive. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were deposited on reduced-fullerene-C-60 modified electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Electrochemical characterization techniques such as CV, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and chronocoulometry were used to characterize modified electrode. Modified electrode was also characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for morphological properties. The electrochemical behavior of methanol was performed in alkaline medium using CV and chronoamperometry methods. The results revealed good electrocatalytic performance and better stability than previously reported catalysts using AuNP@reduced-fullerene-C-60 catalyst, suggesting making promising anodic material for direct methanol oxidation fuel cell. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.