Flower-like nickel oxide (NiO) catalysts were coated on NiCrAl alloy foam using a hydrothermal method. The structural, morphological, and chemical bonding properties of the NiO catalysts coated on the NiCrAl alloy foam were investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy, Xray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. To obtain flower-like morphology of NiO catalysts on the NiCrAl alloy foam, we prepared three different levels of pH of the hydrothermal solution: pH-7.0, pH-10.0, and pH-11.5. The NiO morphology of the pH-7.0 and pH-10.0 samples exhibited a large size plate owing to the slow reaction of the hydroxide (OH−) and nickel ions (Ni+) in lower pH than pH-11.5. Flower-like NiO catalysts (~4.7 μm-6.6 μm) were formed owing to the fast reaction of OH− and Ni2+ by increased OH− concentration at high pH. Thus, the flower-like morphology of NiO catalysts on NiCrAl alloy foam depends strongly on the pH of the hydrothermal solution.

To improve the methanol electro-oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells(DMFCs), Pt electrocatalysts embedded on porous carbon nanofibers(CNFs) were synthesized by electrospinning followed by a reduction method. To fabricate the porous CNFs, we prepared three types of porous CNFs using three different amount of a styrene-co acrylonitrile(SAN) polymer: 0.2 wt%, 0.5 wt%, and 1 wt%, respectively. A SAN polymer, which provides vacant spaces in porous CNFs, was decomposed and burn out during the carbonization. The structure and morphology of the samples were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy and their surface area were measured using the Brunauer- Emmett-Teller(BET). The crystallinities and chemical compositions of the samples were examined using X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties on the methanol electro oxidation were characterized using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Pt electrocatalysts embedded on porous CNFs containing 0.5 wt% SAN polymer exhibited the improved methanol oxidation and electrocatalytic stability compared to Pt/conventional CNFs and commercial Pt/ C(40 wt% Pt on Vulcan carbon, E-TEK).

Pt nanoparticle catalysts incorporated on RuO2 nanowire support were successfully synthesized and their electrochemical properties, such as methanol electro-oxidation and electrochemically active surface (EAS) area, were demonstrated for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). After fabricating RuO2 nanowire support via an electrospinning method, two different types of incorporated Pt nanoparticle electrocatalysts were prepared using a precipitation method via the reaction with NaBH4 as a reducing agent. One electrocatalyst was 20 wt% Pt/RuO2, and the other was 40 wt% Pt/RuO2. The structural and electrochemical properties of the Pt nanoparticle electrocatalysts incorporated on electrospun RuO2 nanowire support were investigated using a bright field transmission electron microscopy (bright field TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cyclic voltammetry. The bright field TEM, XRD, and XPS results indicate that Pt nanoparticle electrocatalysts with sizes of approximately 2-4 nm were well incorporated on the electrospun RuO2 nanowire support with a diameter of approximately 50 nm. The cyclic voltammetry results showed that the Pt nanoparticle catalysts incorporated on the electrospun RuO2 nanowire support give superior catalytic activity in the methanol electro-oxidation and a higher electrochemically active surface (EAS) area when compared with the electrospun Pt nanowire electrocatalysts without the RuO2 nanowire support. Therefore, the Pt nanoparticle catalysts incorporated on the electrospun RuO2 nanowire support could be a promising electrode for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs).