title: Carboxylated, Fe-filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes as versatile catalysts for O2 reduction and H2 evolution reactions at physiological pH.
abstract: The development of new electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at physiological pH is critical for several fields, including fuel cells and biological applications. Herein, the assembly of an electrode based on carboxyl-functionalised hydrophilic multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) filled with Fe phases and their excellent performance as electrocatalysts for ORR and HER at physiological pH are reported. The encapsulated Fe dramatically enhances the catalytic activity, and the graphitic shells play a double role of efficiently mediating the electron transfer to O2 and H2 O reactants and providing a cocoon that prevents uncontrolled Fe oxidation or leaching.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM UdR Trieste, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste (Italy).|Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola (CONICET) and FaMAF, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Medina Allende s/n, X5000HUA Córdoba (Argentina).
authors.forename: M Victoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Bracamonte
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM UdR Trieste, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste (Italy). melchionnam@units.it.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melchionna
authors.affiliation: Namur Research College (NARC) and Department of Chemistry, University of Namur (UNamur), Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur (Belgium).
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stopin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM UdR Trieste, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste (Italy).
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giulani
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM UdR Trieste, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste (Italy).
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tavagnacco
authors.affiliation: Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, Molecules, Solids and Reactivity (IMCN/MOST), Université Catholique de Louvain, Place L. Pasteur 1, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348 (Belgium).
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM UdR Trieste, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste (Italy). pfornasiero@units.it.|ICCOM-CNR Trieste Research Unit, Trieste (Italy). pfornasiero@units.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fornasiero
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM UdR Trieste, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste (Italy).|Namur Research College (NARC) and Department of Chemistry, University of Namur (UNamur), Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur (Belgium).
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonifazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and INSTM UdR Trieste, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste (Italy).
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prato
keywords: electrochemistry; hydrogen evolution reaction; iron; nanotubes; oxygen reduction reaction