Anthocephalus cadamba shaped FeNi encapsulated carbon nanostructures for metal–air batteries as a resilient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst. Issue 41 (12th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nandan, Ravi; Gautam, Ajay; Nanda, Karuna Kar
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 6:Issue 41(2018)
• Page Start: 20411
• Page End: 20420
• Publication Date: 2018-10-12
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c8ta05822a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : A facile strategy is developed for mimicking Anthocephalus cadamba on the nanoscale to produce FeNi encapsulated in radially grown spatially separated NCNTs for excellent bifunctional oxygen electrochemistry. Abstract : Anthocephalus cadamba shaped carbon nanostructures comprising FeNi encapsulated in radially grown nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) are produced by controlled pyrolysis which exhibit advanced electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance with a low overpotential of ∼290 mV at 10 mA cm −2, small Tafel slope (37 mV dec −1 ) and endurance in an accelerated stability test. In addition to better surface electron transfer kinetics, the radial growth of NCNTs offers plenty of electrochemically active sites (high roughness factor ∼340) in tiny spaces, better accessibility to reactant species and appropriate gas outlets to prevent bubble accumulation during OER. Besides OER, the preferential 4e − pathways for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and excellent overall oxygen electrochemistry Δ E ( E j (OER)=10 − E 1/2(ORR) = 0.71 V) suggest excellent bifunctionality and advocate the practical importance of Anthocephalus cadamba shaped carbon nanostructures as a possible unitary oxygen electrocatalyst for metal–air battery systems.