title: Polyelectrolyte functionalized carbon nanotubes as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction.
abstract: Having a strong electron-withdrawing ability, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) was used to create net positive charge for carbon atoms in the nanotube carbon plane via intermolecular charge transfer. The resultant PDDA functionalized/adsorbed carbon nanotubes (CNTs), either in an aligned or nonaligned form, were demonstrated to act as metal-free catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells with similar performance as Pt catalysts. The adsorption-induced intermolecular charge-transfer should provide a general approach to various carbon-based efficient metal-free ORR catalysts for oxygen reduction in fuel cells, and even new catalytic materials for applications beyond fuel cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case School of Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
authors.forename: Shuangyin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dingshan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dai