Iron-tetracyanobenzene complex derived non-precious catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction. (20th April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Choi, Ja-Yeon; Higgins, Drew; Jiang, Gaopeng; Hsu, Ryan; Qiao, Jinli; Chen, Zhongwei
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 162(2015)
• Page Start: 224
• Page End: 229
• Publication Date: 2015-04-20
• Subjects: Fuel cells -- Oxygen reduction -- Non-precious metal catalyst -- Electrocatalysis; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2014.11.118
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Abstract: Non-precious metal oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts were prepared by pyrolyzing a carbon supported complex consisting of iron acetate coordinated with 1, 2, 4, 5-tetracyanobenzene (TCNB) in an iron phtalocyanine-like polymer arrangement. The effect of heat treatment temperature is systematically investigated from 700 to 1000 °C, with ORR activity investigated by half-cell electrochemical evaluation in 0.1 M HClO4 . The highest ORR performance is obtained for the sample heat treated at 1000 °C, with this sample demonstrating high (>98%) selectivity towards the efficient 4 electron reduction mechanism, comparable with some of the best non-precious metal catalysts reported to date. The physical and surface properties of the prepared catalysts were investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and BET surface area analysis. After heat treatment, a thin (<10 nm) coating was observed on the surface of the carbon supports, attributed to residual species remaining from the heat treated precursor complex that provide the source of ORR activity.