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Bifunctional Electrocatalytic Activity of Boron‐Doped Graphene Derived from Boron Carbide
Author(s) -
Vineesh Thazhe Veettil,
Kumar M. Praveen,
Takahashi Chisato,
Kalita Golap,
Alwarappan Subbiah,
Pattanayak Deepak K.,
Narayanan Tharangattu N.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201500658
Subject(s) - bifunctional , graphene , materials science , boron , boron nitride , oxide , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , heteroatom , bifunctional catalyst , catalysis , electrocatalyst , nanotechnology , electrochemistry , electrode , metallurgy , organic chemistry , chemistry , ring (chemistry) , engineering
A single material that can perform water oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions (ORR), also called bifunctional catalyst, represents a novel concept that emerged from recent materials research and that has led to applications in new‐generation energy‐storage systems, such as regenerative fuel cells. Here, metal/metal‐oxide free, doped graphene derived from rhombohedral boron carbide (B 4 C) is demonstrated to be an effective bifunctional catalyst for the first time. B 4 C, one of the hardest materials in nature next to diamond and cubic boron nitride, is converted and separated in bulk to form heteroatom (boron, B) doped graphene (BG, yield ≈7% by weight, after the first cycle). This structural conversion of B 4 C to graphene is accompanied by in situ boron doping and results in the formation of an electrochemically active material from a non‐electrochemically active material, broadening its potential for application in various energy‐related technologies. The electrocatalytic efficacy of BG is studied using various voltammetric techniques. The results show a four‐electron transfer mechanism as well as a high methanol tolerance and stability towards ORR. The results are comparable to those from commercial 20 wt% Pt/C in terms of performance. Furthermore, the bifunctionality of the BG is also demonstrated by its performance in water oxidation.