(Fe,N-codoped carbon nanotube)/(Fe-based nanoparticle) nanohybrid derived from Fe-doped g-C3N4: A superior catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Yanpei Zhang; Ruibin Jiang; Zhongke Wang; Yanzhong Xue; Jie Sun; Yingjie Guo

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2020.06.057

(Fe,N-codoped carbon nanotube)/(Fe-based nanoparticle) nanohybrid derived from Fe-doped g-C₃N₄: A superior catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2020 Nov 1:579:391-400. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.06.057. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Authors

Yanpei Zhang¹, Ruibin Jiang², Zhongke Wang¹, Yanzhong Xue³, Jie Sun¹, Yingjie Guo¹

Affiliations

¹ 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, China.
² 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, China. Electronic address: rbjiang@snnu.edu.cn.
³ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China.

PMID: 32615482
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.06.057

Abstract

Transition metal- and N-codoped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have superior catalytic activity because the curling surface enhances the bonding ability of atoms within CNTs to other species. However, it is a great challenge to prepare CNTs with transition metal- and N-doped at high level during the growth of CNTs. Here, (Fe,N-codoped CNT)/(Fe-based nanoparticle) (Fe,N-CNT/FeNP) hybrid nanostructures are for the first time prepared through the carbonization of Fe-doped g-C₃N₄. The doping of Fe and N is simultaneously realized during the formation of CNTs. Meanwhile, the abundant and homogeneous Fe and N in Fe-doped g-C₃N₄ ensure high-level and uniform doping of Fe and N in CNTs. The Fe,N-CNT/FeNP hybrid nanostructures have several types of active components, including homogeneously distributed coordinating Fe moieties (FeC_xN_y or FeN_x) and CFe_15.1 nanoparticles embedded in Fe,N-CNTs, towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). A superior ORR electrocatalytic performance is therefore obtained on the Fe,N-CNT/FeNP nanohybrids. Our preparation method opens an avenue to preparation of CNTs with transition metal- and N-doping at high-level, and the superior performance of Fe,N-CNT/FeNP nanostructures for ORR will be very helpful to the development of fuel cells and metal-air batteries.

Keywords: Carbon nanotube; Electrocatalysis; Graphitic carbon nitride; Iron-based nanoparticle; Oxygen reduction reaction.