Insight into efficient bifunctional catalysis: Oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions using MWCNTs based composites with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3′,5′-dimethoxyphenyl)porphyrinato cobalt(II) and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3′,5′-dihydroxyphenyl)porphyrinato cobalt(II)

Abstract

Development of cost-effective, durable, and efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is still required for efficient fuel cells, metal-air-batteries, and water electrolysis. For that purpose we have prepared tetrakis(3′,5′-dimethoxyphenyl)porphyrinato cobalt(II) (CoDMTPP) and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3′,5′-dihydroxyphenyl)porphyrinato cobalt(II) (CoDHTPP). Further, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) based composites of CoDMTPP (MWCNTs-CoDMTPP) and CoDHTPP (MWCNTs-CoDHTPP) are also prepared and characterized through spectroscopy (UV–vis, FTIR, and XPS), microscopy (SEM, TEM with EDAX), X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and electrochemical techniques. The materials, MWCNTs-CoDMTPP and MWCNTs-CoDHTPP are immobilized on glassy carbon (GC) electrodes, represented as GC/MWCNTs-CoDMTPP and GC/MWCNTs-CoDHTPP. They show efficient ORR activity in acidic, basic, and neutral (pH 7.0 buffer) mediums. Further, both of these electrodes exhibit significant OER activity in 0.1 M KOH, indicating the bifunctional activity in basic medium. Based on the kinetic studies, the presence of –OH in the CoDHTPP is found to enhance the ORR activity. The electrodes, GC/MWCNTs-CoDMTPP and GC/MWCNTs-CoDHTPP exhibit high methanol tolerance capacity. A very small change in onset potential of 12 mV at GC/MWCNTs-CoDMTPP and 3 mV at GC/MWCNTs-CoDHTPP electrodes are observed for the ORR after 3000 continuous potential cycles indicating the high operational stability of the modified electrodes.