title: Unusual high oxygen reduction performance in all-carbon electrocatalysts.
abstract: Carbon-based electrocatalysts are more durable and cost-effective than noble materials for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is an important process in energy conversion technologies. Heteroatoms are considered responsible for the excellent ORR performance in many carbon-based electrocatalysts. But whether an all-carbon electrocatalyst can effectively reduce oxygen is unknown. We subtly engineered the interfaces between planar graphene sheets and curved carbon nanotubes (G-CNT) and gained a remarkable activity/selectivity for ORR (larger current, and n = 3.86, ~93% hydroxide + ~7% peroxide). This performance is close to that of Pt; and the durability is much better than Pt. We further demonstrate the application of this G-CNT hybrid as an all-carbon cathode catalyst for lithium oxygen batteries.We speculate that the high ORR activity of this G-CNT hybrid stems from the localized charge separation at the interface of the graphene and carbon nanotube, which results from the tunneling electron transfer due to the Fermi level mismatch on the planar and curved sp(2) surfaces. Our result represents a conceptual breakthrough and pioneers the new avenues towards practical all-carbon electrocatalysis.
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China [2] The Synergistic Innovation Center of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Tianjin, Tianjin, 300072, China [3].
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China [2] The Synergistic Innovation Center of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Tianjin, Tianjin, 300072, China [3].
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: 1] Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China [2].
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
authors.forename: Fang-Yuan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2033, Australia.
authors.forename: Da-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
authors.forename: Baohua
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
authors.forename: Feiyu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: 1] Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China [2] Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China [3] The Synergistic Innovation Center of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Tianjin, Tianjin, 300072, China.
authors.forename: Quan-Hong
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Yang