Noble metal-free oxidative electrocatalysts: polyaniline and Co(II)-polyaniline nanostructures hosted in nanoporous silica

Adv Mater. 2012 Apr 10;24(14):1878-83. doi: 10.1002/adma.201104126. Epub 2012 Mar 13.

Abstract

An efficient nanocomposite electrocatalyst composed of mesoporous silica (SBA-15) with polyaniline (PANI) nanostructures within its channel pores (PANI/SBA-15) is synthesized and characterized. The resulting PANI/SBA-15 is capable of chelating Co(II) ions, presumably via its nitrogen atoms on PANI/diamine groups. Both the metal-free (SBA-15/PANI) and the Co(II)-doped SBA-15/PANI nanocomposite materials showed high electrocatalytic activity for oxidation of L-ascorbic acid, with very low overpotential and high current density. The activity of PANI/SBA-15 toward oxidation of L-ascorbic acid is comparable to that obtained from a conventional Pt/C electrocatalyst.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aniline Compounds / chemistry*
  • Ascorbic Acid / chemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Cobalt / chemistry*
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Electrodes
  • Metals / chemistry
  • Nanopores*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*

Substances

  • Aniline Compounds
  • Metals
  • SBA-15
  • polyaniline
  • Cobalt
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • Ascorbic Acid