Synergistic melamine intercalation and Zn(NO3)2 activation of N-doped porous carbon supported Fe/Fe3O4 for efficient electrocatalytic oxygen reduction. Issue 25 (25th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ni, Yaoyao; Wang, Tingjuan; Zhou, Yan; Wang, Chao; Tang, Yingwen; Li, Tao; Geng, Baoyou
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 12:Issue 25(2022)
• Page Start: 15705
• Page End: 15712
• Publication Date: 2022-05-25
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/d2ra02170f
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : N-doped 2D porous carbon supported Fe/Fe3 O4 composite is fabricated by melamine intercalation and zinc nitrate as activator. The synergistic effect makes the catalyst shows excellent ORR activity and decent durability compared with commercial Pt/C. Abstract : Developing inexpensive, efficient and good stability transition metal-based oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts is a research topic of great concern in the commercial application of fuel cells. Herein, with zinc nitrate as activator, iron nitrate as active component and melamine as intercalating agent and nitrogen source, an N-doped porous carbon supported Fe/Fe3 O4 (Fe/Fe3 O4 @NC) catalyst is successfully synthesized by an impregnation–calcination method combined with freeze-drying technique. The positive onset potential ( E onset ), half-wave potential ( E 1/2 ) and limiting current density ( J L ) of the optimal Fe/Fe3 O4 @NC catalyst are 1.012, 0.90 V vs. RHE and 5.87 mA cm −2, respectively. Furthermore, Fe/Fe3 O4 @NC catalyzes ORR mainly through a 4e − pathway, and the yield of H2 O2 is less than 5%. It also manifests a robust stability after 5000 CV cycles of ADT testing, and the half-wave potential is only negatively shifted 17 mV. The structural characterization and experimental results further suggest that the outstanding ORR electrocatalytic performance of the Fe/Fe3 O4 @NC catalyst benefits from the synergetic effect of zinc nitrate activation and nitrogen doping, which can greatly improve the specific surface area, thus better dispersing more metal active sites. This work puts forward a simple and practicable way for preparing high-performance non-noble metal-based biomass ORR electrocatalysts.