Azamacrocyclic complexes of Group VIII metals as catalysts for oxygen electroreduction in alkaline solutions

Abstract

The kinetics of catalytic electroreduction of oxygen in a 1 N KOH solution was studied by the rotating disk electrode (RDE) method. Azamacrocyclic iron and ruthenium complexes of the porphyrin and phtalocyanine series were used as catalysts. The reduction of oxygen was also studied on both the individual complexes and the same complexes supported on carbon supports (XC72R and graphene). The catalytic activity and selectivity of the complex is determined, to a high extent, by the nature and electron-donor properties of the metal atom in the complex and, to a lesser extent, by the structure of the organic ligand.