Replacement of noble-metal-based electrocatalysts with inexpensive alternatives that have similar high performance will benefit the development of fuel cell technology. A metal-free composite of carbon nitride (CN) with nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) and its application as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction are reported for the first time in this study. The fabricated material (CN/NCNTs) formed a close interface between the two components and showed a comparable electrocatalytic activity in an alkaline medium to that of a conventional platinum-loaded carbon, superior tolerance to crossover effects, and excellent stability. The electrocatalytic efficiency of the CN/NCNT composite was nearly 100% of the four-electron (4 e-) pathway. The high performance of the current electrocatalyst was derived from its features, such as a relatively large surface area, high content of pyridinic nitrogen, and superior conductivity.
Keywords: carbon nitride; electrocatalyst; fuel cells; nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes; oxygen reduction reaction.