Sustainable Hydrothermal Carbonization Synthesis of Iron/Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanofiber Aerogels as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction. Issue 46 (27th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Song, Lu‐Ting; Wu, Zhen‐Yu; Zhou, Fei; Liang, Hai‐Wei; Yu, Zi‐You; Yu, Shu‐Hong
• Is Part Of: Small. Volume 12:Issue 46(2016)
• Page Start: 6398
• Page End: 6406
• Publication Date: 2016-09-27
• Subjects: aerogels -- carbon nanofibers -- electrocatalysts -- hydrothermal carbonization -- oxygen reduction; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanoparticles -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.201602334
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1613-6810

Abstract

Abstract : It is urgent to develop new kinds of low‐cost and high‐performance nonprecious metal (NPM) catalysts as alternatives to Pt‐based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells and metal–air batteries, which have been proved to be efficient to meet the challenge of increase of global energy demand and CO2 emissions. Here, an economical and sustainable method is developed for the synthesis of Fe, N codoped carbon nanofibers (Fe–N/CNFs) aerogels as efficient NPM catalysts for ORR via a mild template‐directed hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process, where cost‐effective biomass‐derivedd (+)‐glucosamine hydrochloride and ferrous gluconate are used as precursors and recyclable ultrathin tellurium nanowires are used as templates. The prepared Fe/N‐CNFs catalysts display outstanding ORR activity, i.e., onset potential of 0.88 V and half‐wave potential of 0.78 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in an alkaline medium, which is highly comparable to that of commercial Pt/C (20 wt% Pt) catalyst. Furthermore, the Fe/N‐CNFs catalysts exhibit superior long‐term stability and better tolerance to the methanol crossover effect than the Pt/C catalyst in both alkaline and acidic electrolytes. This work suggests the great promise of developing new families of NPM ORR catalysts by the economical and sustainable HTC process. Abstract : Monolithic aerogels consisting of uniform Fe/N‐doped carbon nanofibers (Fe/N–CNFs) are synthesized by template‐directed hydrothermal carbonization of glucosamine hydrochloride and ferrous gluconate followed with high‐temperature treatment and acid leaching. The high porosity and well dispersed FeN x active sites of the Fe/N‐CNFs endow them with outstanding electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction.