Potential application of Ni and Co stabilized zirconia as oxygen reduction reaction catalyst

Abstract A new facile template method for the preparation of Ni, Co doped ZrO 2 self-assembled electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction was employed. The effect of the Ni and Co incorporation into ZrO 2 lattice on the structural, textural, surface chemistry and its activity on ORR was emphasized. As X-ray diffraction reveals, the pseudo-cubic lattice of the tetragonal ZrO 2 polymorph (t-ZrO 2 ) is stabilized when Ni and Co are co-doping ZrO 2 . The results indicate that the synergetic effects arisen from the intimate electronic interaction of the mixed oxides present in the lattice of the zirconia phase, i.e. Ni 1 − x Co x O (or NiO and CoO) in NCZ enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the catalyst.