Rational design of N-doped carbon nanobox-supported Fe/Fe2N/Fe3C nanoparticles as efficient oxygen reduction catalysts for Zn-air batteries
Author(s)
Cao, Lei
Li, Zhen-huan
Gu, Yu
Li, Dao-hao
Su, Kun-mei
Yang, Dong-jiang
Cheng, Bo-wen
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2017
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Zn–air battery, as a low cost, high energy density, and safe energy device, has received significant attention in recent years. However, its wide application has been hindered due to the low oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity in air electrodes without excellent catalysts. Herein, N-doped porous and highly graphitic carbon nanobox-supported Fe-based nanoparticles (Fe–N-CNBs), which were synthesized from fructose, NH3, and FeCl3 by a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) process followed by a heat treatment process, were used as ORR catalysts. Fe–N-CNBs calcined at 600 °C (Fe–N-CNBs-600) showed higher ORR ...
View more >Zn–air battery, as a low cost, high energy density, and safe energy device, has received significant attention in recent years. However, its wide application has been hindered due to the low oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity in air electrodes without excellent catalysts. Herein, N-doped porous and highly graphitic carbon nanobox-supported Fe-based nanoparticles (Fe–N-CNBs), which were synthesized from fructose, NH3, and FeCl3 by a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) process followed by a heat treatment process, were used as ORR catalysts. Fe–N-CNBs calcined at 600 °C (Fe–N-CNBs-600) showed higher ORR activity (onset and half-wave potentials of 1.03 and 0.85 V vs. RHE, respectively), better electrochemical stability, and higher methanol tolerance than Pt/C under alkaline conditions. The outstanding ORR performance of Fe–N-CNBs-600 was attributed to the synergistic effect of Fe, Fe2N, and Fe3C nanoparticles, which was unambiguously confirmed by HRTEM and XRD characterization. Furthermore, Fe–N-CNBs-600 also exhibited higher electrochemical properties than the currently used expensive Pt/C catalyst in Zn–air batteries.
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View more >Zn–air battery, as a low cost, high energy density, and safe energy device, has received significant attention in recent years. However, its wide application has been hindered due to the low oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity in air electrodes without excellent catalysts. Herein, N-doped porous and highly graphitic carbon nanobox-supported Fe-based nanoparticles (Fe–N-CNBs), which were synthesized from fructose, NH3, and FeCl3 by a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) process followed by a heat treatment process, were used as ORR catalysts. Fe–N-CNBs calcined at 600 °C (Fe–N-CNBs-600) showed higher ORR activity (onset and half-wave potentials of 1.03 and 0.85 V vs. RHE, respectively), better electrochemical stability, and higher methanol tolerance than Pt/C under alkaline conditions. The outstanding ORR performance of Fe–N-CNBs-600 was attributed to the synergistic effect of Fe, Fe2N, and Fe3C nanoparticles, which was unambiguously confirmed by HRTEM and XRD characterization. Furthermore, Fe–N-CNBs-600 also exhibited higher electrochemical properties than the currently used expensive Pt/C catalyst in Zn–air batteries.
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Journal Title
Journal of Materials Chemistry A: Materials for Energy and Sustainability
Volume
5
Issue
22
Subject
Macromolecular and materials chemistry
Materials engineering
Materials engineering not elsewhere classified
Other engineering