Co3O4 nanoparticles on porous bio-carbon substrate as catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

Abstract The synthesis of low-cost, environmentally-friendly, and stable non-noble metallic catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is quite important in electrochemical fields, for ORR is the essential cathodic process in fuel cells. Here, we report a simple and general method to fabricate Co3O4 nanoparticles supported on porous carbon using butterfly wings as template and carbon source. The as-synthesized catalyst shows excellent catalytic activity for oxygen reduction with its performance close to commercial 20 wt% Pt/C. Compared to free Co3O4 particles, the enhanced performance mainly comes from the synergistic effect of Co3O4 and bio-carbon substrate. The carbonized butterfly wing shows unique porous structure with both high surface area and good connectivity, providing a firm and conductive support for active oxide nanoparticles. This work is expected to provide new ideas for the development of other porous carbon-based ORR catalysts.