Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction on Pristine and Heteroatom-Doped Graphene Materials

Abstract

Graphene with its unique physical and chemical properties is still a hot topic in the area of electrocatalysis and electroanalysis. In this context, graphene and especially, heteroatom-doped graphene materials have shown promising applications as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This reaction is of utmost importance in fuel cells and metal–air batteries. On the one hand, if we consider the applications of pristine graphene as a support material in the development of electrocatalysts for ORR, it is very important to understand and investigate the electrochemical properties of the underlying material toward the ORR, especially since the ORR is highly dependent upon the electrode surface characteristics. On the other hand, since heteroatom-doped graphene (especially N-doped graphene materials) have shown great promise as efficient electrocatalysts for ORR, still a long-standing question remains, which sites are responsible for ORR activity. In this perspective, recent findings related to ORR electrocatalysis on heteroatom-doped graphene are reviewed. Therefore, this chapter gives an overview about recent progress and developments in bare and heteroatom-doped graphene as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction.