The NiFe2O4 - MgFe2O4 series as electrode materials for electrochemical reduction of NO x

Solid solutions of spinel-type oxides with the composition (x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.6, 1.0) were prepared with the glycine-nitrate combustion synthesis (x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.6) and the citric-acid combustion synthesis (x = 1.0). The oxides were used as electrode materials in a pseudo-three-electrode setup in the temperature range of 400–600 °C. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to characterize the electrochemical behavior in 1% NO and 10% O₂. Measurements show that NiFe₂O₄ has relatively high cathodic activity in both NO and O₂, whereas MgFe₂O₄ shows much higher activity in NO compared to O₂. MgFe₂O₄ was also measured with cyclic voltammetry in 1% NO₂ and different gas mixtures of NO and O₂ at 300 and 400 °C. Results show that the cathodic activities (−0.6 V) are relatively high with current ratios, , ranging from 10.1–167.7 and with a maximum at 400 °C. Dilatometry measurements were performed on the materials in air up to 1,000 °C, and they showed that the Curie temperature could be detected for all samples. Four-point DC resistivity measurements at elevated temperatures show that Ni_0.4Mg_0.6Fe₂O₄ has the highest conductivity, whereas Ni_0.7Mg_0.3Fe₂O₄ and NiFe₂O₄ have the highest conductivity at lower temperatures.