High dispersion and oxygen reduction reaction activity of Co3O4 nanoparticles on platelet-type carbon nanofibers. Issue 7 (28th January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yamada, Naohito; Kowalski, Damian; Koyama, Akira; Zhu, Chunyu; Aoki, Yoshitaka; Habazaki, Hiroki
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 9:Issue 7(2019)
• Page Start: 3726
• Page End: 3733
• Publication Date: 2019-01-28
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c8ra09898k
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : In this study, platelet-type carbon nanofibers prepared by the liquid phase carbonization of polymers in the pores of a porous anodic alumina template were used to prepare the Co3 O4 /carbon electrocatalysts. Abstract : In this study, platelet-type carbon nanofibers prepared by the liquid phase carbonization of polymers in the pores of a porous anodic alumina template were used to prepare the Co3 O4 /carbon electrocatalysts. For comparison, Co3 O4 nanoparticles were also deposited on multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Both the nitrogen-free platelet-type carbon nanofibers (pCNFs) and the nitrogen-containing analogue (N-pCNFs) exhibited better dispersion and higher amount of deposited Co3 O4 nanoparticles compared to the MWCNTs. In addition, many individual Co3 O4 nanoparticles were deposited separately on pCNF and N-pCNF, whereas aggregated deposition was commonplace on MWCNTs. The results indicated that the side wall of the pCNFs, which consisted of carbon edge planes, was the preferential nucleation site of Co3 O4 nanoparticles rather than the basal planes of carbon that predominated the surface of the MWCNTs. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of the Co3 O4 /pCNF composite in 0.1 mol dm −3 KOH solution was better than that of Co3 O4 /MWCNTs. The N-pCNF further enhanced the ORR activity of the Co3 O4 /pCNFs even though the dispersion and supported amount of Co3 O4 nanoparticles were negligibly affected by the presence of the nitrogen species. Synergistic interactions of the Co3 O4 nanoparticles with N-doped CNFs contributed to the increased ORR activity.