Premium
Yolk–Shell‐Structured Cu/Fe@γ‐Fe 2 O 3 Nanoparticles Loaded Graphitic Porous Carbon for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Author(s) -
Wang Meiwen,
Su Chao,
Saunders Martin,
Liang Ji,
Shao Zongping,
Wang Shaobin,
Liu Jian
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
particle and particle systems characterization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.877
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1521-4117
pISSN - 0934-0866
DOI - 10.1002/ppsc.201700158
Subject(s) - carbon fibers , materials science , metal , nanoparticle , oxide , pyrolysis , carbonization , chemical engineering , ostwald ripening , inorganic chemistry , copper , chemistry , nanotechnology , metallurgy , composite material , scanning electron microscope , composite number , engineering
Core–shell Cu/γ‐Fe 2 O 3 @C and yolk–shell‐structured Cu/Fe@γ‐Fe 2 O 3 @C particles are prepared by a facile synthesis method using copper oxide as template particles, resorcinol‐formaldehyde as the carbon precursor, and iron nitrate solution as the iron source via pyrolysis. With increasing carbonization temperature and time, solid γ‐Fe 2 O 3 cores are formed and then transformed into Fe@γ‐Fe 2 O 3 yolk–shell‐structured particles via Ostwald ripening under nitrogen gas flow. The composition variations are studied, and the formation mechanism is proposed for the generation of the hollow and yolk–shell‐structured metal and metal oxides. Moreover, highly graphitic carbons can be obtained by etching the metal and metal oxide nanoparticles through an acid treatment. The electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction is investigated on Cu/γ‐Fe 2 O 3 @C, Cu/Fe@γ‐Fe 2 O 3 @C, and graphitic carbons, indicating comparable or even superior performance to other Fe‐based nanocatalysts.