In situ integration of Co5.47N and Co0.72Fe0.28 alloy nanoparticles into intertwined carbon network for efficient oxygen reduction

Xiaodong Luo; Hang Ren; Hui Ma; Chaochuang Yin; Yuan Wang; Xi Li; Zhangfeng Shen; Yangang Wang; Lifeng Cui

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2020.02.086

In situ integration of Co_5.47N and Co_0.72Fe_0.28 alloy nanoparticles into intertwined carbon network for efficient oxygen reduction

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2020 Jun 1:569:267-276. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.02.086. Epub 2020 Feb 21.

Authors

Xiaodong Luo¹, Hang Ren², Hui Ma², Chaochuang Yin¹, Yuan Wang², Xi Li², Zhangfeng Shen³, Yangang Wang⁴, Lifeng Cui⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China; College of Biological, Chemical Science and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, 314001, China.
² College of Biological, Chemical Science and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, 314001, China.
³ College of Biological, Chemical Science and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, 314001, China. Electronic address: zfshen@mail.zjxu.edu.cn.
⁴ College of Biological, Chemical Science and Engineering, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, 314001, China. Electronic address: ygwang8136@mail.zjxu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China. Electronic address: lifeng.cui@gmail.com.

PMID: 32114105
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.02.086

Abstract

Cost-effective electrocatalysts with excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity are requisite for the commercial application fuel cells and zinc-air batteries. Herein, we prepare a series of carbon-based non-precious metal catalysts by simply carbonizing the mixture of FeCo-ZIF, melamine and soya-bean oil. The microstructure and electrochemical activity of the prepared catalysts highly depend on the adding amount of FeCo-ZIF. With proper addition, the FeCo-ZIF are transformed into Co_5.47N and Co_0.72Fe_0.28 alloy nanoparticles, which are embedded in the in situ formed carbon network consisted of nitrogen-doped graphene-like carbon nanosheets and interwoven carbon nanotubes. The resulted catalyst (FeCo@NCs-0.15) with considerable specific surface area and high pore volume demonstrates a superior ORR catalytic activity than commercial Pt/C with a half-wave potential (E_1/2) of 0.83 V (vs. RHE), onset potential (E_onset) of 0.97 V (vs. RHE) and 4-electron dominated reaction path. The durability and methanol resistance are also better than that of commercial Pt/C in alkaline solution. This study provides an inexpensive, facile and scalable strategy to simultaneously realize non-precious metal-based active sites, nitrogen-doping, porosity and highly conductive carbon matrix in one electrocatalyst by one step.

Keywords: Carbon network; Co-N(x) moiety; Metal alloy; Metal-organic frameworks; Oxygen reduction reaction.