Abstract
The development of inexpensive and active Pt-free catalysts as an alternative to Pt-based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an essential prerequisite for fuel cell commercialization. In this paper, we report a strategy for the design of a new Fe–N/C electrocatalyst derived from the co-pyrolysis of Ipomoea aquatica biomass, carbon black (Vulcan XC-72R) and FeCl3·6H2O at 900 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. Electrochemical results show that the Fe–N/C catalyst exhibits higher electrocatalytic activity for ORR, longer durability and higher tolerance to methanol compared to a commercial Pt/C catalyst (40 wt %) in an alkaline medium. In particular, Fe–N/C presents an onset potential of 0.05 V (vs. Hg/HgO) for ORR in an alkaline medium, with an electron transfer number (n) of ~3.90, which is close to that of Pt/C. Our results confirm that the catalyst derived from I. aquatica and carbon black is a promising non-noble metal catalyst as an alternative to commercial Pt/C catalysts.
Highlights
Several studies have aimed to discover a large reserve of renewable and environment-friendly alternative energy sources, because of worsened environmental pollution and energy shortage
The most effective and widely-used oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts are those based on Pt
A rotating disk electrode (RDE) with a glassy carbon (GC) electrode (5-mm diameter, Tianjing Lanlike Electrochemical Instruments, Tianjin, China) coated with catalyst ink was used as a working electrode
Summary
Several studies have aimed to discover a large reserve of renewable and environment-friendly alternative energy sources, because of worsened environmental pollution and energy shortage. N-containing transition metal macrocyclic compounds have attracted considerable attention as promising alternatives to Pt-based ORR catalysts in FCs. Several scientists have investigated the oxygen-reduction catalytic activity of inexpensive electrocatalysts by using different N-containing carbon materials as effective precursors [11–13]. Several scientists have investigated the oxygen-reduction catalytic activity of inexpensive electrocatalysts by using different N-containing carbon materials as effective precursors [11–13] These carbon materials include crude biomass, such as hemin [14–18], Typha orientalis [19], monkey grass [20], soybeans [21] and soya milk [22], which have attracted considerable interest, because they are abundant, environment friendly and inexpensive [23–27]. All of these studies have focused on using natural porphyrinato complexes containing hemin, T. orientalis and monkey grass to form catalytic sites. The fabricated Fe–N/C catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity and 4e-pathway selectivity toward ORR, durability and methanol tolerance in an alkaline medium
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