Synthesis and Electrochemical Performance of NiFe Alloy Electrocatalysts with Trisodium Citrate and Saccharin Additives for Ethanol Electrooxidation

Abstract

This study investigates the synthesis and electrochemical performance of NiFe alloy electrocatalysts prepared via thin-film electrodeposition using different additives, citrate and saccharin. The aim is to compare the catalytic behavior of NiFe alloys influenced by the two additives. Structural characterization through X-ray diffraction revealed a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystalline phase in both samples, while X-ray fluorescence analysis showed a Ni:Fe ratio of 1:1 in the NiFe/Cu-TSC sample and 3:1 in NiFe/Cu-Sac sample. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Tafel analysis demonstrated that the NiFe/Cu-Sac catalyst exhibited superior charge transfer properties, with a lower charge transfer resistance (R_ct) and a smaller Tafel slope, indicating more efficient catalytic activity. These findings suggest that saccharin serves as a more favorable additive in enhancing the electrocatalytic performance of NiFe alloys for ethanol oxidation applications.