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Researchers have synthesised a new kind of catalyst that can efficiently help produce oxygen by splitting water 1 . Splitting water also generates hydrogen, making the catalyst potentially

useful for yielding clean fuel. An oxygen-generating reaction is a key process that keeps metal-air batteries, fuel cells and solar cells functioning. However, this reaction is slow.

Metal-oxide-based catalysts used to accelerate this reaction are expensive and generate an oxide layer that reduces the conductivity of batteries and fuel cells. To find an efficient

catalyst, scientists from the CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, led by Subbiah Alwarappan, prepared the catalyst by using nickel-nanoparticle-loaded

modified graphene nanoribbons. They then explored the catalyst’s potential to catalyse an oxygen-generating reaction. Increasing the amount of nickel in the catalyst significantly increased

its catalytic activity at a low voltage. This shows that nickel present in the graphene nanoribbons played a vital role in catalysing the oxygen-generating reaction. The catalyst retained

its catalytic efficiency over a period of 10 hours at a steady current density. Such stability can be attributed to a closely packed structure in which nickel nanoparticles are encapsulated

in the matrix of graphene nanoribbons. It can also be employed as an enzyme-free catalyst in various biosensors, says Alwarappan.