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MOF‐Templated Assembly Approach for Fe 3 C Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Bamboo‐Like N‐Doped CNTs: Highly Efficient Oxygen Reduction under Acidic and Basic Conditions
Author(s) -
Aijaz Arshad,
Masa Justus,
Rösler Christoph,
Antoni Hendrik,
Fischer Roland A.,
Schuhmann Wolfgang,
Muhler Martin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201701389
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , nanoparticle , electrolyte , catalysis , materials science , hydrogen peroxide , chemical engineering , carbide , carbon nanotube , electrochemistry , metal organic framework , inorganic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , metallurgy , adsorption , engineering
Developing high‐performance non‐precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) for the oxygen‐reduction reaction (ORR) is of critical importance for sustainable energy conversion. We report a novel NPMC consisting of iron carbide (Fe 3 C) nanoparticles encapsulated in N‐doped bamboo‐like carbon nanotubes (b‐NCNTs), synthesized by a new metal‐organic framework (MOF)‐templated assembly approach. The electrocatalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity in 0.1 m KOH (0.89 V at −1 mA cm −2 ) and in 0.5 m H 2 SO 4 (0.73 V at −1 mA cm −2 ) with a hydrogen peroxide yield of below 1 % in both electrolytes. Due to encapsulation of the Fe 3 C nanoparticles inside porous b‐NCNTs, the reported NPMC retains its high ORR activity after around 70 hours in both alkaline and acidic media.