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Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
Graphene-Encapsulated Co9 S8 Nanoparticles on N,S-Codoped Carbon Nanotubes: An Efficient Bifunctional Oxygen
Nan Jia1, Jing Liu1, Yunshan Gao1
1Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Lab for Advanced Energy Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, P. R. China.
Abstract:
An inexpensive and efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is central to the rechargeable zinc-air battery. Herein, a nanohybrid, in which N,S-codoped carbon nanotubes were decorated with Co9 S8 nanoparticles encapsulated in porous graphene layers, was fabricated by a one-step heat-treatment process. The N,S dopant species were the major active sites for the ORR, and Co9 S8 nanoparticles were mainly responsible for the OER. Compared with commercial 20 wt % Pt/C and Ir/C electrocatalysts, this nanohybrid exhibited a comparable ORR half-wave potential (0.831 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode) and OER potential (1.591 V at 10 mA cm-2 ), better long-term stability in an alkaline medium, and a narrower potential gap (0.76 V) between ORR and OER. Furthermore, as air electrode of the rechargeable zinc-air battery, it delivered a low charge-discharge voltage gap (0.65 V at 5 mA cm-2 ), high open-circuit potential (1.539 V), good specific capacity (805 mA h g at 5 mA cm-2 ), and excellent cycling stability (48 h), superior to those of commercial Pt/C and Ir/C catalysts, and thus showed promise for applications in renewable energy conversion devices.
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