Facile synthesis of C60-nano materials and their application in high-performance water splitting electrocatalysis. Issue 6 (7th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fernandez-Delgado, Olivia; Puente-Santiago, Alain R.; Cano, Manuel; Giner-Casares, Juan J.; Metta-Magaña, Alejandro J.; Echegoyen, Luis
• Is Part Of: Sustainable energy & fuels. Volume 4:Issue 6(2020)
• Page Start: 2900
• Page End: 2906
• Publication Date: 2020-04-07
• Subjects: Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; Electric batteries -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; 660.297
• DOI: 10.1039/d0se00399a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2398-4902

Abstract

Abstract : Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of crystalline C60 nanomaterials and their applications as bifunctional water splitting catalysts. Abstract : Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of crystalline C60 nanomaterials and their applications as bifunctional water splitting catalysts. The shapes of the resulting materials were tuned via a solvent engineering approach to form rhombic-shaped nanosheets and nanotubes with hexagonal close packed-crystal structures. The as-synthesized materials exhibited suitable properties as bifunctional catalysts for HER and ORR reactions surpassing by far the electrocatalytic activity of commercially available amorphous C60 . The C60 nanotubes displayed the most efficient catalytic performance with a small onset potential of −0.13 V vs. RHE and ultrahigh electrochemical stability properties towards the generation of molecular hydrogen. Additionally, the rotating-disk electrode measurements revealed that the oxygen reduction mechanism at the nanotube electrochemical surfaces followed an effective four-electron pathway. The improved catalytic activity was attributed to the enhanced local electric fields at the high curvature surfaces.