Novel silicon-doped, silicon and nitrogen-codoped carbon nanomaterials with high activity for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium

Abstract

Novel silicon-doped, silicon and nitrogen-codoped carbon nanomaterials were prepared by chemical vapor deposition and evaluated by electrochemical tests. The Si-doped CNSs and Si, N-codoped CNTs exhibited high electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium due to changes in the charge density and the energetic characteristics of the carbon framework, as evidenced by density functional theory calculations. This may be of great importance for the design of low-cost and efficient metal-free cathode electrocatalysts in future alkaline fuel cells.