Fabrication of nanoscale NiO/Ni heterostructures as electrocatalysts for efficient methanol oxidation

Abstract

Nanoscale NiO/Ni heterostructures on oxygen-functionalized carbon nanotubes with low Ni loading (3–4 wt%) are fabricated by delicate thermal-annealing treatments, which are designed according to the temperature-programmed thermal analysis. Activity and stability tests demonstrate that NiO/Ni heterostructures with a stable Ni core inside an oxyhydroxide shell (in solution) exhibit enhanced stability and catalytic activity for methanol oxidation.