Sustainable valorization of biodiesel-derived glycerin using CeO₂-Ni nanofiber anodes for high-performance direct fuel cells

In this work, CeO2-Ni nanoparticles were successfully integrated into electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNFs) via calcination under inert atmosphere to develop a low-cost, high-performance anode material for direct glycerin fuel cells (DGFCs). By tuning the CeO2 content, a series of nanofiber electrodes were prepared and systematically evaluated. The optimized sample containing 5 wt% cerium acetate exhibited the most favorable electrochemical behavior, achieving a maximum current density of 85 mA cm(- 2) (in CV), a low Tafel slope of 30.5 mV dec- 1, and excellent electrochemical stability. High-resolution XPS confirmed the coexistence of Ce+3/Ce+4 and Ni+2/Ni+3/ Ni(0 )species, indicating synergistic redox activity and oxygen vacancy generation, which contribute to improved glycerin electrooxidation. When applied in a membrane-less DGFC configuration using a Pt/C cathode, the optimized CeO2-Ni CNFs anode delivered a peak current density of 6.3 & times; 10(3) mA m(- 2) at a glycerin concentration of 0.3 M, while the maximum power density reached 508 mW m(- 2) at higher glycerin concentration, placing this system among the most competitive non-precious metal-based DGFC anodes reported to date. Furthermore, Design Expert (R) statistical modeling revealed strong predictive correlations between CeO2 content, glycerin concentration, and performance metrics (OCP, current, and power densities), with an OCP model F-value of 14.7 and p < 0.0001. This study introduces a scalable and effective strategy for the electrochemical valorization of biodiesel-derived glycerin, offering significant advancements in waste-to-energy conversion through nanostructured redox-active anode design.

Dergi

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Yıl

2026

Cilt

401

ISSN

0301-4797

eISSN

1095-8630

DOI

10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.128896

WoS UID

WOS:001694105700001