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Fe, N-doped carbon spheres prepared by electrospinning method as high efficiency oxygen reduction catalyst
Hanzeng Zou1, Supeng Pei1, Zongshang Zhou1
1School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology Shanghai 201418 China peisupeng@126.com.
RSC Advances
|May 2, 2022
Summary
Highly efficient iron and nitrogen co-doped carbon sphere electrocatalysts were synthesized for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The novel Fe-N/MCS-181 catalyst demonstrates superior performance and durability compared to commercial platinum/carbon (Pt/C).
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Electrocatalysts are essential for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in devices like metal-air batteries and fuel cells.
- Developing efficient, durable, and cost-effective ORR electrocatalysts is a critical research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel iron and nitrogen co-doped carbon sphere electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).
- To evaluate the electrochemical performance, durability, and methanol tolerance of the synthesized catalysts compared to commercial Pt/C.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of iron and nitrogen co-doped carbon spheres via electrospinning and thermal treatment.
- Characterization of catalyst morphology, iron content, and pore structure.
- Electrochemical evaluation of ORR activity, durability, and methanol tolerance using techniques like cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry.
Main Results:
- The Fe-N/MCS-181 catalyst exhibited the highest iron content (0.13%) and a spherical morphology with mesoporous structures (11 and 35 nm pores).
- Fe-N/MCS-181 showed superior ORR performance with an onset potential of -0.018 V and a half-wave potential of -0.145 V, outperforming commercial Pt/C (-0.18 V).
- The catalyst demonstrated excellent durability, with an 86.4% current density retention after 10,000 seconds, surpassing Pt/C (84.2%), and exhibited remarkable methanol tolerance.
Conclusions:
- The fabricated Fe-N/MCS-181 catalyst is a highly efficient and durable electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).
- This study presents a facile method for producing advanced Fe, N-doped carbon catalysts, offering a promising alternative to precious metal catalysts.
