Open Conference Systems, International Conference on Electrochemical Energy and Technology

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3D Porous N-doped Graphene Foam as Highly Efficient Non-Precious Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
xuejun zhou, Jinli Qiao

Last modified: 2014-10-08

Abstract


Electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are an important component of renewable energy devices such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries.1-3 Among the catalysts studied, nitrogen doped graphene with high activity and good stability in alkaline medium has been viewed recently.4,5 However, their insufficient catalytic ORR activity when compared with Pt-based catalysts still remains a great challenge. More importantly, the resulting catalysts yield ORR activity in base but poor ORR activity in acidic solutions. Recently, the integration of 2D graphene sheets into 3D porous structures, such as crumpled graphene and graphene foam, has generated great interest due to their exceptional porous configuration (large surface area, high porosity) and wide practical applications (electronics, energy storage and convention, sensor).6,7 Here, we demonstrated that 3D porous N-doped graphene foam prepared from a hard templating approach could act as a highly efficient ORR catalyst. Very interesting, at the same mass loading, the catalysts exhibit pronounced electrocatalytic activity towards ORR with onset potential of 1.01 V in 0.1M KOH, which is comparable to that of Pt/C. At potential lower than 0.88 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, the current density of the porous graphene is even greater than that of Pt/C. Besides, the porous graphene catalyst also has an excellent ORR activity and long-term stability in acdic condtions (0.1M HClO4). The porous graphene was characterized by extensive methods including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) surface analysis. It is found that the large surface area, unique porosity, and small amounts of irons in the catalyst are responsible for the outstanding catalytic performance.


Keywords


ORR;graphene

References


1.Y.J. Wang, D.P. Wilkinson, J. Zhang, Noncarbon support materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell electrocatalysts, Chemical Reviews, 111 (2011) 7625-7651.

2. Z. Chen, D. Higgins, A. Yu, L. Zhang, J. Zhang, A review on non-precious metal electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells, Energy & Environmental Science, 4 (2011) 3167-3192.

3 F. Jaouen, E. Proietti, M. Lefevre, R. Chenitz, J.-P. Dodelet, G. Wu, H.T. Chung, C.M. Johnston, P. Zelenay, Recent advances in non-precious metal catalysis for oxygen-reduction reaction in polymer electrolyte fuel cells, Energy & Environmental Science, 4 (2011) 114-130.

4.X. Zhou, J. Qiao, L. Yang, J. Zhang, A Review of Graphene-Based Nanostructural Materials for Both Catalyst Supports and Metal-Free Catalysts in PEM Fuel Cell Oxygen Reduction Reactions, Advanced Energy Materials, 4 (2014)

5. H. Wang, T. Maiyalagan, X. Wang, Review on Recent Progress in Nitrogen-Doped Graphene: Synthesis, Characterization, and Its Potential Applications, Acs Catalysis, 2 (2012) 781-794.

6. V. Chabot, D. Higgins, A. Yu, X. Xiao, Z. Chen, J. Zhang, A review of graphene and graphene oxide sponge: material synthesis and applications to energy and the environment, Energy & Environmental Science, 7 (2014) 1564-1596.

7. S. Han, D. Wu, S. Li, F. Zhang, X. Feng, Porous Graphene Materials for Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion Devices, Advanced Materials, 26 (2014) 849-864.


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