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Cobalt and Iron Oxides Co‐supported on Carbon Nanotubes as an Efficient Bifunctional Catalyst for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity in Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions
Author(s) -
Zhao YeMin,
Wang FeiFei,
Wei PingJie,
Yu GuoQiang,
Cui ShiCong,
Liu JinGang
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemistryselect
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 34
ISSN - 2365-6549
DOI - 10.1002/slct.201702231
Subject(s) - catalysis , bifunctional , oxygen evolution , cobalt , pyrolysis , inorganic chemistry , carbon nanotube , oxide , nanoparticle , materials science , cobalt oxide , chemistry , carbon fibers , electrocatalyst , chemical engineering , electrochemistry , nanotechnology , electrode , composite number , organic chemistry , metallurgy , composite material , engineering
Developing efficient non‐precious metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in energy conversion and storage devices is highly desirable but challenging. This report describes a general approach for preparing cobalt and iron oxide nanoparticles co‐supported on nitrogen‐doped carbon materials as an efficient oxygen electrode catalyst with an improved catalytic activity toward OER and ORR; these nanoparticles were obtained through pyrolysis of Co‐ and Fe‐based metal–organic frameworks grown directly on the surface of polyvinylimidazole‐functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The Fe/Co–CNTs‐800 catalyst pyrolyzed at 800 °C exhibited high electrocatalytic activity for ORR, with only ∼50 mV lesser activity than that of Pt/C at the half‐wave potential, and for OER, with only ∼70 mV lesser activity than that of RuO 2 at a current density of 10 mA⋅cm −2 in a 0.1 M KOH solution. The potential difference between OER and ORR for Fe/Co–CNTs‐800 ( ΔE OER–ORR ) was 0.905 V, which was significantly lower than that for noble‐metal catalysts (20 wt% Pt/C (1.137 V) and RuO 2 (1.341 V)). The preparation temperature and value of Fe/Co in the catalyst composite are crucial for achieving high electrocatalytic activity for both ORR and OER.