N-doped carbon nanocages with high catalytic activity and durability for oxygen reduction

The development of a carbon based non-precious metal catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of paramount importance for the essential implementation of both proton exchange membrane fuel cells and metal-air batteries. In this work, we report a feasible strategy to synthesize N-doped carbon...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Materials for energy and sustainability, 2015-01, Vol.3 (23), p.12427-12435
Main Authors: Wang, Xiao Xia, Zou, Biao, Du, Xin Xin, Wang, Jian Nong
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon
Catalysts
Catalytic activity
Durability
Heat treatment
Nanostructure
Platinum
Reduction
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Summary:The development of a carbon based non-precious metal catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of paramount importance for the essential implementation of both proton exchange membrane fuel cells and metal-air batteries. In this work, we report a feasible strategy to synthesize N-doped carbon nanocages (NCNC) with high activity and durability. This is achieved by the pyrolysis of pyridine and iron carbonyl and subsequent heat treatment in the presence of NH sub(4)Cl. Based on detailed studies on the pore structure, the type and transformation of nitrogen-related functional groups, we find that the sample after heat treatment with NH sub(4)Cl has a high specific surface area up to 1093 m super(2) g super(-1). Also, the sample with high graphitic N doping possesses much better ORR catalytic activity than those dominated by pyridinic and pyrrolic N. The half-wave potential for the final NCNC catalyst is only 40 mV less than a commercial Pt/C catalyst at the initial stage. But the NCNC catalyst shows much better durability than the Pt/C catalyst in acidic electrolytes, and thus provides a new opportunity for Pt replacement.
ISSN:2050-7488
2050-7496
DOI:10.1039/c5ta02009c