Premium
Controllable Synthesis of Ultrathin NiCo 2 O 4 Nanosheets Incorporated onto Composite Nanotubes for Efficient Oxygen Reduction
Author(s) -
Huang Yunpeng,
Cui Fen,
Zhao Yan,
Bao Jian,
Lian Jiabiao,
Xu Yuanguo,
Liu Tianxi,
Li Huaming
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistry – an asian journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.18
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1861-471X
pISSN - 1861-4728
DOI - 10.1002/asia.201700750
Subject(s) - materials science , nanotechnology , catalysis , composite number , sintering , electrospinning , chemical engineering , nanostructure , electrochemistry , battery (electricity) , electrolyte , coprecipitation , electrocatalyst , fuel cells , electrode , composite material , chemistry , polymer , biochemistry , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Exploring non‐precious‐metal‐based oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts featuring high efficiency, low cost, and environmental friendliness is of great importance for the broad applications of fuel cells and metal–air batteries. In this work, ultrathin NiCo 2 O 4 nanosheets deposited on 1D SnO 2 nanotubes (SNT) were successfully fabricated through a productive electrospinning technique followed by a sintering and low‐temperature coprecipitation strategy. This hierarchically engineered architecture has ultrathin NiCo 2 O 4 nanosheets uniformly and fully erected on both walls of tubular SNTs, which results in improved electrochemical activity as an ORR catalyst, in terms of positive onset potential and high current density, as well as superior tolerance to crossover effects and long‐term durability with respect to the commercial Pt/C catalyst. The excellent performance of SNT@NiCo 2 O 4 composites may originate from their rationally designed hierarchical tubular nanostructure with completely exposed active sites and interconnected 1D networks for efficient electron and electrolyte transfer; this makes these composite nanotubes promising candidates to replace platinum‐based catalysts for practical fuel cell and metal–air battery applications.