Abstract
In this work, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composite fibres (PAN/SAN/CNT) were prepared by electrospinning. The electrospun fibres were further pyrolysed (800–1200 °C) in N2 atmosphere with or without prior stabilisation (at 250 °C) in air to produce electrocatalyst materials for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The ORR was studied in alkaline solution by linear sweep voltammetry and rotating disc electrode (RDE) method. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed the tubular structure of the pyrolysed PAN/SAN/CNT fibres with visible MWCNTs. According to the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results, the prepared catalysts consisted of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. According to the RDE results, the most active catalyst towards the ORR (the onset and half-wave potential of − 0.13 V and −0.29 V vs SCE in 0.1 M KOH, respectively) was obtained by pyrolysing non-stabilised PAN/SAN/CNT fibres at 1100 °C. The ORR activity of the best performing catalyst is attributed to the nitrogen species, quinone groups and porous tubular structure of the catalyst material.
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