Paper-derived cobalt and nitrogen co-doped carbon nanotube@porous carbon as a nonprecious metal electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction |
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Authors: | Gaopeng Liu Bin Wang Li Xu Penghui Ding Pengfei Zhang Jiexiang Xia Huaming Li Junchao Qian |
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Institution: | 1. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute for Energy Research, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China;2. Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge 37830, USA;3. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China;4. Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Environment Functional Materials, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, Jiangsu, China |
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Abstract: | The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a vitally important process in fuel cells. The development of high-performance and low-cost ORR electrocatalysts with outstanding stability is essential for the commercialization of the electrochemical energy technology. Herein, we report a facile synthesis of cobalt (Co) and nitrogen (N) co-doped carbon nanotube@porous carbon (Co/N/CNT@PC-800) electrocatalyst through a one-step pyrolysis of waste paper, dicyandiamide, and cobalt(II) acetylacetonate. The surface of the hierarchical porous carbon supported a large number of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which were derived from dicyandiamide through the catalysis of Co. The addition of Co resulted in the formation of a hierarchical micro/mesoporous structure, which was beneficial for the exposure of active sites and rapid transportation of ORR-relevant species (O2, H+, OH?, and H2O). The doped N and Co formed more active sites to enhance the ORR activity of the electrocatalyst. The Co/N/CNT@PC-800 material exhibited optimal ORR performance with an onset potential of 0.005 V vs. Ag/AgCl and a half-wave potential of –0.173 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Meanwhile, the electrocatalyst showed an excellent methanol tolerance and a long-term operational durability than that of Pt/C, as well as a quasi-four-electron reaction pathway. The low-cost and simple synthesis approach makes the Co/N/CNT@PC-800 a prospective electrocatalyst for the ORR. Furthermore, this work provides an alternative approach for exploring the use of biomass-derived electrocatalysts for renewable energy applications. |
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Keywords: | Oxygen reduction reaction Waste paper Biomass Porous carbon Cobalt |
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