The fabrication of electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity, high durability and low cost towards urea oxidation by a facile method is a great challenge. In this study, non-precious NiCoFe trimetallic supported on porous carbon (NiCoFe@PC) was prepared via gelation and pyrolysis method, presenting a remarkable electrocatalytic activity with low onset potential for urea oxidation in an alkaline medium. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to clarify the morphology of the NiCoFe@PC nanostructure and its nanoparticle size of 17.77 nm. The prepared catalyst with the composition ratio of 24.67, 5.92 and 5.11% for Ni, Fe and Co, respectively, with highly crystalline nanoparticles, fixed on porous carbon, according to energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The FeCoNi@PC catalyst showed a catalytic activity of 44.65 mA/cm2 at 0.57 V vs. Ag/AgCl and a low onset potential of 218 mV, which is superior to many other transition bi/trimetallic-based catalysts previously reported.
Keywords: fuel cells; hydrogel; trimetallic nanoparticles; urea oxidation.