Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets as metal-free electrochemical catalysts for oxygen reduction reactions. Issue 7 (1st April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gu, Siyong; Chandra Mallick, Bikash; Hsieh, Chien-Te; Gandomi, Yasser Ashraf; Zhang, Ren-Shou
• Is Part Of: Ceramics international. Volume 48:Issue 7(2022)
• Page Start: 9506
• Page End: 9517
• Publication Date: 2022-04-01
• Subjects: Hexagonal boron nitride -- Electrochemical catalysts -- Oxygen reduction reaction -- Catalytic activity -- Two-dimensional sheets; Ceramics -- Periodicals; Céramique industrielle -- Périodiques; Ceramics; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 666
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.12.148
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-8842

Abstract

Abstract: A high-performance ball milling technique was developed for synthesizing hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) carbon paper (CP) electrodes as metal-free catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen storage (electrochemically) in acidic media. The h-BN nanosheets were functionalized with glycine to enhance the number of active sites and to boost the catalytic activity. The ball-milled h-BN catalytic electrodes demonstrated ultra-high catalytic activity toward electrochemical hydrogen adsorption/desorption (∼3.5 times higher than pristine electrodes) as well as ORR in acidic electrolytes. Furthermore, in-situ durability analysis of the h-BN electrodes was performed via conducting a long-duration cycling experiment (>200 cycles). A mechanistic reaction pathway (sequential) including chemisorption and charge transfer reactions (four-electron and two-electron pathways) was also proposed for the ORR. Considering superior catalytic activity of as-prepared h-BN/CP electrodes, this class of metal-free nanostructured materials can be employed as inexpensive catalysts for the electrochemical H-storage and ORR within various energy storage/conversion devices (e.g., batteries, electrolyzers, and fuel cells).