Recent Advances in Enhancing Oxygen Reduction Reaction Performance for Non‐Noble‐Metal Electrocatalysts Derived from Electrospinning

Abstract

Carbonaceous materials originated from electrospinning fibers with hierarchical porosity and good conductivity have attracted intensive attention in the field of electrocatalysis, especially for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Large batches of fibers with uniform sizes can be easily fabricated by electrospinning technology as the precursors of carbon fibers, manifesting the potential to develop a large‐scale, low‐cost, high‐activity ORR catalyst production line for new energy devices such as fuel cells and metal–air batteries. Herein, based on a simple understanding of the ORR mechanism and electrospinning technology, those investigations on synthesizing non‐noble‐metal ORR catalysts through electrospinning in recent years are reviewed. The advantages brought by applying electrospinning technology to the preparation of ORR catalysts are briefly explained. Electrospinning fibers with specific structures for ORR catalysis obtained by innovated spinnerets are displayed. Importantly, the strategies of improving ORR performance for electrospinning fibers through substrate functionalization and active site regulation are discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects and challenges of developing electrospinning technology applied to non‐noble metal ORR electrocatalysis are proposed.

Boron and Fluorine Co‐Doped Graphene/Few‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Composite as Highly Active Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

“…[4] Up to now mainly Pt-based catalysts have been preferred but considering many disadvantages of platinum i. e. high cost, poor durability and sensitivity towards fuel impurities, much effort has now been devoted to the exploration of materials which have a similar electrocatalytic activity to that of platinum along with the potential to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks. [5][6][7][8] Non-precious metal catalysts containing transition metal atoms have attracted interest as promising ORR electrocatalysts, in particular for anion exchange membrane fuel cells. [9][10][11][12] Metal macrocyclic complexes like phthalocyanines, porphyrins and chalcogenides containing Co and Fe atoms have been considered as one of the best non-noble metal ORR catalysts.…”

“…An active electrocatalyst is needed in order to speed up the ORR process by lowering the activation energy of the reaction [4] . Up to now mainly Pt‐based catalysts have been preferred but considering many disadvantages of platinum i. e. high cost, poor durability and sensitivity towards fuel impurities, much effort has now been devoted to the exploration of materials which have a similar electrocatalytic activity to that of platinum along with the potential to overcome the above‐mentioned drawbacks [5–8] . Non‐precious metal catalysts containing transition metal atoms have attracted interest as promising ORR electrocatalysts, in particular for anion exchange membrane fuel cells [9–12] .…”

Stretchable polydimethylsiloxane/aligned electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibers composites with high transparency and fracture resistance

“…Electrospinning technology is a simple and effective method for producing continuous polymer nanofibers with light weight, large aspect ratio, high specific surface area, and unique porous structure 13 through a controllable spinning process. Electrospun fibers are widely used in the fields of reinforcement materials, [14][15][16] adsorption filtration, 17,18 wound dressing, [19][20][21] food packaging, 22,23 drug controlled release, [24][25][26] electrocatalysis, 27,28 and so on. Nanofibers with different diameters and orientations can be produced by adjusting the process parameters.…”