Mn2O3/Ag Nanoflakes as an Effective Electroscatalyst for Urea Oxidation in Alkaline Medium

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.

Abstract

Abstract
In this study, highly crystalline Ag-doped Mn2O3 nanoflakes were synthesized by a sol-gel process and used as an effective electrocatalyst for urea electrooxidation in alkaline-media fuel cells. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were applied to characterize the structure and the morphology of the final product. The electrocatalytic performances were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) tests.The prepared nanocatalyst shows a distinct electrocatalytic activity toward urea oxidation. The introduced Ag-doped Mn2O3 reveals a good stability at various applied voltages. The enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation of urea using Ag-doped Mn2O3 nanoflakes reveals a great potential for future applications in hydrogen production, remediation of urea-rich wastewater, and fuel cells.

Keywords