Passivity and electrocatalysis of nanostructured nickel encapsulated in carbon.

Metallic nickel is a powerful electrocatalyst in alkaline solution and is able to be used in the alkaline fuel cell. However, in acidic solution, electrocatalysis is impossible because the metal is subject to rapid corrosion at low pH for all potentials at which an acidic fuel cell would operate. Here we report the synthesis and passive nature of a nickel-carbon nanostructured material which shows electrocatalytic activity.