Nitrogen-doped graphene as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction in fuel cells.
Nitrogen-doped graphene (N-graphene) was synthesized by chemical vapor deposition of methane in the presence of ammonia. The resultant N-graphene was demonstrated to act as a metal-free electrode with a much better electrocatalytic activity, long-term operation stability, and tolerance to crossover effect than platinum for oxygen reduction via a four-electron pathway in alkaline fuel cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of graphene and its derivatives as metal-free catalysts for oxygen reduction. The important role of N-doping to oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) can be applied to various carbon materials for the development of other metal-free efficient ORR catalysts for fuel cell applications, even new catalytic materials for applications beyond fuel cells.
Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, P. R. China.
Liangti
L
Qu
Yong
Y
Liu
Jong-Beom
JB
Baek
Liming
L
Dai
D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen