Issue 13, 2016

Heteroatom doped graphdiyne as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium

Abstract

The commercialization of fuel cells and metal–air batteries can only be realized if expensive and scarce platinum-based catalysts are replaced by lower cost, efficient, and durable catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Along with intensive research efforts in developing low-cost, metal-free catalysts to replace platinum-based catalysts, heteroatom doped graphitic carbon materials (especially graphene and carbon nanotubes) have been demonstrated to show superior ORR performance. However, graphdiyne, another member of the carbon family, has not been completely studied as an electrocatalyst for the ORR. We demonstrate here that nitrogen and fluorine co-doped, metal-free graphdiyne exhibits comparable electrocatalytic activity to commercial Pt/C both in half-cell and full-cell (primary Zn–air battery) tests, regarding its onset potential and limiting current density. Moreover, the new catalyst has better stability, as well as a higher tolerance to methanol crossover and CO poisoning effects, than the commercial Pt/C.

Graphical abstract: Heteroatom doped graphdiyne as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Dec 2015
Accepted
18 Feb 2016
First published
22 Feb 2016
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016,4, 4738-4744

Heteroatom doped graphdiyne as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium

S. Zhang, Y. Cai, H. He, Y. Zhang, R. Liu, H. Cao, M. Wang, J. Liu, G. Zhang, Y. Li, H. Liu and B. Li, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016, 4, 4738 DOI: 10.1039/C5TA10579J

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements