On the Origin of Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Electrospun Nitrogen–Carbon Species

Abstract

Nitrogen–carbon (N–C) species is a potential electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in electrochemical energy conversion cells, but its mechanistic origin of ORR on the N–C surface is still unclear. We show our facile approach to the synthesis of highly active Co-modified N–C catalyst and investigated the origin of ORR activity of electrospun N–C species by removing the metal with hydroxide carbon etching and acid metal leaching. Through the detailed investigation on the origin of ORR electrocatalysis for electrospun N–C nanofibers, we revealed that pyrrolic-N and highly graphitized carbon structure are mainly responsible for the enhanced ORR activity of metal-free N–C nanofiber and embedded Co metal got involved in the creation of the pyrrolic N site.

The influence of layered double hydroxide composition on the morphology, porosity and capacitive properties of nitrogen-doped carbon materials prepared via chemical vapor deposition

“…The interlayer distance value between graphene planes calculated from the position of (0 0 2) reflection decreases from 0.367 nm for C/MgAl to 0.344 nm for C/MgCoAl and C/CoAl, approaching the value for graphite (0.335 nm). It seems that the presence of cobalt during CVD experiments facilitates the formation of more graphitic carbon structure similarly to what was previously reported [33]. Although the d 002 spacing is consistent with the presence of graphitic domains, broadening of the reflections (especially in the case of C/MgAl) implies that the samples are more turbostratic than crystalline (graphitic) [34].…”

Nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel-supported spinel CoMn2O4 nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

“…The N1s spectrum (Fig. 3f) can be divided into four peaks at 398.4, 399.1, 400.0, and 404.4 eV, which can be ascribed to pyridinic N (26.29%), pyrrolic N (47.52%), graphitic N (26.19%) and pyridinic N oxide, respectively [37,38], confirming the incorporation of nitrogen species into graphene areogel.…”

A new 3D crosslinked polymer strategy for highly efficient oxygen reduction Fe–Nx/C catalysts

“…2d). 12,28,39 All types nitrogen in T-FeNC-800R decreased comparing to those of T-FeNC-800 aer the second pyrolysis (Fig. 2e).…”