Ni-Co-B nanoparticle decorated carbon felt by electroless plating as a bi-functional catalyst for urea electrolysis

A free-standing catalyst electrode for urea electrolysis was synthesized by electroless plating of NiCoB alloy onto a flexible carbon felt. The synthesized NiCoB@C catalyst exhibited porous and partially amorphous metallic structure depending on its composition, as analysed by XRD, XPS, and TEM; thus, NiCoB@C catalyst showed a high catalytic activity for urea oxidation reaction as well as hydrogen evolution reaction. The required cell voltage in the electrolysis cell with NiCoB@C as anode and cathode was as low as 1.34 V for the current densities 10 mA cm^-2. Similar performance of the urea electrolysis for H₂ production using 0.33 M urea and a fresh urine in 1 M KOH was observed. The result indicated that NiCoB could be incorporated on to carbon felt by electroless plating, and it could be used as free-standing bifunctional electrodes for urea electrolysis using urea as well as urine.