Interface-engineered nickel oxyhydroxide on carbon nanofibers for efficient urea oxidation and wastewater-to-energy conversion.

Abstract

Urea is a common nitrogenous pollutant in agricultural and industrial wastewaters, and its electrochemical oxidation in alkaline media enables simultaneous detoxification and energy recovery. Herein, we report an interface-engineering strategy based on P,N-modified nickel-carbon nanofibers prepared via a scalable electrospinning-carbonization process using ammonium phosphate as a multifunctional precursor. During thermal treatment, phosphorus and nitrogen heteroatoms are incorporated into the carbon framework while regulating the surface chemistry of embedded nickel nanoparticles, promoting the formation of a NiOOH-ready interfacial layer. Structural analyses (XRD, SEM/TEM) confirm the formation of metallic Ni domains uniformly dispersed within turbostratic carbon nanofibers. XPS reveals the coexistence of Ni0/Ni+2/Ni+3 species along with phosphate- and nitrogen-derived functionalities that enhance electronic modulation and redox reversibility. In 1.0 M KOH, the optimized composition exhibits a Ni+2/Ni+3 redox charge of ~12.5 mC.cm-2. For urea electrooxidation (0.5 M urea), the catalyst delivers a maximum current density of ~115 mA.cm-2 with a low onset potential of 0.37 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The apparent activation energy is 9.82 kJ.mol-1, indicating a kinetically favorable NiOOH-mediated pathway. Chronoamperometry shows stable operation with ~70-80% current retention over 1000 s. When implemented as an anode in a membrane-less direct urea fuel cell, the material achieves a peak power density of ~1.1 W.m-2 at 35 °C, demonstrating practical wastewater-to-energy feasibility. This work highlights how dual heteroatom modification of carbon nanofibers can regulate nickel interfacial chemistry, enabling efficient urea remediation coupled with renewable power generation.