Electrochemical oxidation of hydrazine derivatives by carbon-supported metalloporphyrins

Hydrazine hydrate has been studied as a fuel for use in anion exchange membrane fuel cells. To overcome its toxicity, derivatives of hydrazine have also been studied as possible fuels. However, conventional electrocatalysts show only weak activity in the electro-oxidation of hydrazine derivatives. In this study, we report that carbon-supported cobalt porphyrin catalysts can catalyze the electro-oxidation of certain hydrazine derivatives as well as hydrazine. The dependence of this activity on the concentration suggests that the carbohydrazide strongly interacts with the Co porphyrin. High activity of a Co porphyrin in the oxidation of certain kinds of hydrazine derivatives opens a big possibility to application including a vehicle that safer hydrazine derivatives can also be oxidized in fuel cells.

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► We investigated electro-oxidation of hydrazine derivatives by metalloporphyrins.
► The hydrazine derivatives are difficult to be oxidized by conventional catalysts.
► A Co porphyrin exhibited the strongest activity toward carbohydrazide.
► Co porphyrins have higher activity toward carbohydrazide than hydrazine.