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One-Step Ni-Co Alloy Nanoparticles Electrodeposition from Leach Liquor of Spent Ni-MH Batteries Using a Deep Eutectic Solvent and Its Use Towards Urea Electrooxidation

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Abstract

This work reports a simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method to synthesize Ni-Co alloy nanoparticles (Ni-CoNPs) onto a glassy carbon electrode, GCE, and its use towards the efficient urea electrooxidation in basic aqueous media. Ni-CoNPs were directly electrodeposited onto the GCE surface, GCE/Ni-CoNPs by a single potentiostatic step, from the leached liquor of the cathode powder of spent Ni-MH batteries using the reline deep eutectic solvent, DES, as leaching agent, and electrolytic bath. The GCE/Ni-CoNPs were immersed in a 1 M KOH, 0.33 M urea aqueous solution and used as anode for urea electrochemical oxidation. The mass activity of this electrode depicted a maximum value of 27,900 mAmg−1 cm−2 at ca 0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl and a steady state mass activity of 1690 mAmg−1 cm−2 during the potentiodynamic and potentiostatic evaluation. The performance of the GCE/Ni-CoNPs electrode reported in this work is similar or better than other electrodes reported for this purpose using more sophisticated, time-consuming, and costly methods.

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Availability of Data and Materials

Data will be available on request from the authors. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author (JAG) upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank CONACyT for project 258487. SRH and MLC thank CONACyT for the support given to undertake a postdoctoral stay and doctoral studies, respectively. WSO, EMAE, MRR, JAG, and MPP thank the SNI for the distinction of their membership and the stipend received

Funding

This study was funded by CONACyT project 258487.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Materiales, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco, Av. San Pablo 420 Col. Nueva El Rosario, Azcapotzalco, CP, 02128, México

    A. Basilio-Brito, M. Landa-Castro, S. Rivera-Hernández, M. Romero-Romo, J. Aldana-González & M. Palomar-Pardavé

  2. Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Ecatepec, División de Ingeniería Química Y Bioquímica, Av. Tecnológico S/N, Ecatepec de Morelos, Edo. de Méx, 55210, México

    W. Sánchez-Ortiz

  3. Universidad Tecnológica de México, UNITEC México, Campus Atizapán, Edo. de Méx, México

    S. Rivera-Hernández

  4. Departamento de Ingeniería en Metalurgia Y Materiales, Instituto Politécnico Nacional. ESIQIE, CDMX, CP, 07738, México

    E. Arce-Estrada

Authors
  1. A. Basilio-Brito
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  2. M. Landa-Castro
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  3. W. Sánchez-Ortiz
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  4. S. Rivera-Hernández
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  5. M. Romero-Romo
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  6. E. Arce-Estrada
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  7. J. Aldana-González
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  8. M. Palomar-Pardavé
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Contributions

Basilio-Brito: investigation; M. Landa-Castro: investigation, formal analysis, writing—original draft, review, and editing; W. Sánchez-Ortiz: investigation; S. Rivera-Hernández: investigation; M. Romero-Romo: investigation, writing—original draft, review, and editing; E. M. Arce-Estrada: investigation; J. Aldana-González: conceptualization methodology, formal analysis, writing—original draft, review, and editing, formal analysis, supervision, resources, and funding acquisition; M. Palomar-Pardavé: conceptualization methodology, formal analysis, writing—original draft, review, and editing, formal analysis, supervision, resources, and funding acquisition.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to J. Aldana-González or M. Palomar-Pardavé.

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Basilio-Brito, A., Landa-Castro, M., Sánchez-Ortiz, W. et al. One-Step Ni-Co Alloy Nanoparticles Electrodeposition from Leach Liquor of Spent Ni-MH Batteries Using a Deep Eutectic Solvent and Its Use Towards Urea Electrooxidation. Electrocatalysis 14, 869–874 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-023-00842-x

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