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Carbon‐Nanotube‐Supported Bio‐Inspired Nickel Catalyst and Its Integration in Hybrid Hydrogen/Air Fuel Cells
Author(s) -
Gentil Solène,
Lalaoui Noémie,
Dutta Arnab,
Nedellec Yannig,
Cosnier Serge,
Shaw Wendy J.,
Artero Vincent,
Le Goff Alan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201611532
Subject(s) - proton exchange membrane fuel cell , catalysis , carbon nanotube , nickel , chemistry , nanomaterials , hydrogen , cathode , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , electrocatalyst , redox , carbon fibers , materials science , nanotechnology , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , electrode , composite material , composite number , engineering
A biomimetic nickel bis‐diphosphine complex incorporating the amino acid arginine in the outer coordination sphere was immobilized on modified carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through electrostatic interactions. The functionalized redox nanomaterial exhibits reversible electrocatalytic activity for the H 2 /2 H + interconversion from pH 0 to 9, with catalytic preference for H 2 oxidation at all pH values. The high activity of the complex over a wide pH range allows us to integrate this bio‐inspired nanomaterial either in an enzymatic fuel cell together with a multicopper oxidase at the cathode, or in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) using Pt/C at the cathode. The Ni‐based PEMFC reaches 14 mW cm −2 , only six‐times‐less as compared to full‐Pt conventional PEMFC. The Pt‐free enzyme‐based fuel cell delivers ≈2 mW cm −2 , a new efficiency record for a hydrogen biofuel cell with base metal catalysts.