Methanol Tolerant Non-noble Metal Co-C-N Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction Using Urea as Nitrogen Source

A non-noble metal oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst labeled as Co-C-N(800) was synthesized by heat-treating a mixture of urea, cobalt chloride and acetylene black for 2 h at 800 oC in an inert nitrogen atmosphere. X-ray diffraction pattern indicates that a metallic β-Co is generated after the heat-treating process. The results from cyclic voltammograms show that the obtained Co-C-N(800) catalyst has good ORR catalytic activity in 0.5 mol/L H₂SO₄ solution. The catalyst is also good at methanol tolerance and stability in the acidic solution.