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Enhancing Bifunctional Catalytic Activity of Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reaction via One‐Pot Formation of MnO 2 ‐Carbon Hybrid Nanocomposite
Author(s) -
Kim Hyemin,
Saito Nagahiro,
Kim Daewook
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.201800851
Subject(s) - bifunctional , electrocatalyst , catalysis , electrochemistry , oxygen evolution , nanocomposite , manganese , chemical engineering , materials science , conductivity , carbon fibers , chemistry , nanoparticle , inorganic chemistry , composite number , electrode , nanotechnology , metallurgy , composite material , organic chemistry , engineering
Abstract While manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) is a promising bifunctional electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction and evolution reaction (ORR/OER) in alkaline media, electrochemical performance of bulk MnO 2 limited by their poor electrical conductivity. Herein, we fabricate a MnO 2 ‐carbon nanoparticle hybrid composite (MO‐CNP) by applying the plasma discharge in the single precursor of purple benzene. This synthesis route facilitates a simultaneous formation of MnO 2 and carbon, which induced a homogeneously mixed and firmly anchored hybrid composite. As a result, as‐obtained MO‐CNP‐1 shows more than 12 times higher electrical conductivity than that of prepared conventionally. Thus, formation of MO‐CNP could be accompanied by a synergy between MnO 2 and CNP as electrocatalyst, and consequently, electrochemical properties were significantly improved. In comparison with CNP, the ORR potential of MO‐CNP‐1 was positively shifted from –0.28 to –0.23 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), and current density has increased more than 2 times. Although the ORR activity of MO‐CNP‐1 was still far a little short of the commercial Pt/C, the MO‐CNP‐1 indicated significant higher OER activity, which demonstrated excellent overall catalytic capability of MO‐CNP‐1 as bifunctional catalyst.