Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 22 No 6 (2018): 921 - 930

THE PHYSICAL AND ELECTROCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTIC OF GOLD NANOPARTICLES SUPPORTED PEDOT/GRAPHENE COMPOSITE AS POTENTIAL CATHODE MATERIAL IN FUEL CELLS

(Pencirian Fizikal dan Elektrokimia Komposit Zarah Nano Aurum Disokong PEDOT/Grafin sebagai Bahan Katod Berpotensi dalam Sel Bahan Api)

Nurul’ain Basyirah Muhamad and Farhanini Yusoff*

School of Marine and Environmental Sciences,

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: farhanini@umt.edu.my

Received: 2 August 2018; Accepted: 13 November 2018

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/reduced graphene oxide (denoted as AuNPs/PEDOT/rGO) was synthesized as an electrocatalyst of cathode materials for used in fuel cells. The AuNPs/PEDOT/rGO catalyst was prepared by chemical deposition of AuNPs/PEDOT onto rGO sheets. The physical properties of composite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The SEM results confirm the AuNPs is successfully attached on PEDOT/rGO sheets, while the XRD pattern confirmed the existence of crystallographic structure of composite. Analysis of thermogravimetry revealed the decomposition of synthesized composite is below 100 °C, where it is suitable for cathode material in fuel cells. For the fabrication of modified electrode, 10 µL of composite suspension was drop-casted on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface. Meanwhile, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to study the electrochemical behaviour of modified electrode in in 1.0 M KCl solution with a reference to 5.0 mM K₄[Fe(CN)₆] redox system. The result demonstrates that AuNPs/PEDOT/rGO catalyst enhance the high conductivity and charge transfer where it is useful as a material for cathode catalyst in fuel cells.

Keywords: gold nanoparticles, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), reduced graphene oxide, cathode catalyst, fuel cells

Abstrak

Zarah nano aurum/poli(3,4-etilenadioxitiopena)/grafin oksida terturun (dilabel sebagai AuNPs/PEDOT/rGO) telah disintesis sebagai elektropemangkin bahan katod untuk digunakan dalam sel bahan api. Pemangkin AuNPs/PEDOT/rGO telah disediakan melalui pemendapan kimia AuNPs/PEDOT ke dalam lembaran rGO. Sifat fizikal komposit telah dicirikan oleh pembelauan sinar-X (XRD), mikroskop imbasan elektron (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) dan analisis termogravimetrik (TGA). Hasil SEM telah mengesahkan AuNPs telah berjaya melekat di lembaran PEDOT/rGO, sementara corak XRD mengesahkan kehadiran struktur kristalografi komposit. Analisis termogravimetrik telah membuktikan penguraian komposit yang telah disintesis di bawah 100 °C dimana ia sesuai digunakan sebagai bahan katod untuk sel bahan api. Untuk fabrikasi elektrod diubahsuai, setiap 10µL pemendapan komposit telah dititik alas pada permukaan elektrod karbon berkaca (GCE). Sementara itu, voltametri berkitar dan spektroskopi elektrokimia impedans telah digunakan untuk mengkaji sifat elektrokimia elektrod diubahsuai di dalam cecair 1.0 M KCl merujuk kepada sistem redoks 5.0 mM K₄[Fe(CN)₆]. Keputusan menunjukkan pemangkin AuNPs/PEDOT/rGO/GCE meningkatkan konduktiviti yang tinggi dan pemindahan cas dimana ia berguna sebagai bahan untuk pemangkin katod dalam sel bahan api.

Kata kunci: zarah nano aurum, poli(3,4-etilenadioxitiopena), grafin oksida terturun, pemangkin katod, sel bahan api

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