The Effect of Carbon-Based Substrates onto Non-Precious and Precious Electrocatalytic Centers

Abstract

Here, we report the effect of substrate for tuning the active reaction center of precious and non-precious electrocalysts for efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. We have selected surface modified carbon morphologies to study the substrate effect on Pt and CoSe2 catalytic center. Pt supported on surface modified carbon nanotube (CNT) substrates shows, defective sites is important for effective dispersion of Pt on it. CO stripping process probes the effect of Pt interaction with defective and graphitic domains of carbon support. Improved mass activity and specific activity is observed for Pt supported on pyridine functionalized CNT compared to Pt on other CNT substrate. Similarly, CoSe2 supported on nitrogen doped carbon nanohorn (NCNH) shows improved ORR activity in alkaline and acid conditions compared to other carbon based substrates. Enhanced mass activity and specific activity of CoSe2/NCNH is observed in both alkaline and acidic media compared to CoSe2 supported on other modified substrates.