Microwave-assisted fast synthesis of hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanoflower-like supported Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles with an enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation

NiCo2O4 nanoflowers were synthesized through a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method and used as a type support for Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles. In the three-dimensional NiCo2O4 nanoflowers, two-dimensional ultrathin nanosheets supported the Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles by homogeneous precipitation. The materials were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The electrochemical oxidation of methanol was probed through the NiCo2O4/Ni(OH)2 modification on a glassy carbon electrode in an alkaline medium by employing cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The current density of the NiCo2O4/Ni(OH)2 electrode in 1 M KOH with 0.5 M methanol ascends to 92.3 A g−1 and restores to 94.6% of the primitive value through the replacement with a new solution after a long-term CV cycling (500 cycles). Therefore, the compounds further corroborate their excellent electrocatalytic activity and superb perennial stability for methanol oxidation. This study demonstrates that NiCo2O4/Ni(OH)2 is a peculiar material with an outstanding performance in direct methanol fuel cells.