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Controllable‐Nitrogen Doped Carbon Layer Surrounding Carbon Nanotubes as Novel Carbon Support for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Author(s) -
Kuo P.L.,
Hsu C.H.,
Wu H.M.,
Hsu W.S.,
Kuo D.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
fuel cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.485
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1615-6854
pISSN - 1615-6846
DOI - 10.1002/fuce.201100130
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , catalysis , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , materials science , raman spectroscopy , chemical engineering , carbon fibers , adsorption , scanning electron microscope , inorganic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , composite number , organic chemistry , composite material , physics , optics , engineering
Novel nitrogen‐doped carbon layer surrounding carbon nanotubes composite (NC‐CNT) (N/C ratio 3.3–14.3 wt.%) as catalyst support has been prepared using aniline as a dispersant to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and as a source for both carbon and nitrogen coated on the surface of the CNTs, where the amount of doped nitrogen is controllable. The NC‐CNT so obtained were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherms. A uniform dispersion of Pt nanoparticles (ca. 1.5–2.0 nm) was then anchored on the surface of NC‐CNT by using aromatic amine as a stabilizer. For these Pt/NC‐CNTs, cyclic voltammogram measurements show a high electrochemical activity surface area (up to 103.7 m 2 g –1 ) compared to the commercial E‐TEK catalyst (55.3 m 2 g –1 ). In single cell test, Pt/NC‐CNT catalyst has greatly enhanced catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction, resulting in an enhancement of ca. 37% in mass activity compared with that of E‐TEK.