A new catalyst for urea oxidation: NiCo2S4 nanowires modified 3D carbon sponge

Abstract Urea oxidation is a significant reaction for utilizing urea-rich wastewater or human urine as sustainable power sources which can ease the water eutrophication while generate electricity. A direct urea-hydrogen peroxide fuel cell is a new kind of fuel cell employing urea as fuel and hydrogen peroxide as oxidant which possesses a larger cell voltage. Herein, this work tries to promote the kinetics process of urea oxidation by preparing low-cost and high-efficient NiCo2S4 nanowires modified carbon sponge electrode. The carbon sponge used in this work with a similar three-dimensional multi-channel structure to Ni foam, is prepared by carbonizing recycled polyurethane sponge which is also a process of recycling waste. The performance of the prepared catalyst in an alkaline solution is investigated in a three-electrode system. With the introduction of Co element to the catalyst, a reduced initial urea oxidation potential and a high performance are obtained. Furthermore, a direct urea-hydrogen peroxide fuel cell is assembled using the NiCo2S4 nanowires modified carbon sponge anode. Results indicate that the prepared catalyst provides a chance to solve the current problems that hinder the development of urea electrooxidation (high initial urea oxidation potential, low performance, and high electrode costs).