Synergistic catalytic effects of MoO2 and Vulcan carbon on the oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

Developing low-cost and highly efficient non-platinum catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for fuel cells. Transition metal oxide/carbon materials are important non-noble metal catalysts, and have become the focus of researchers. Herein, we report a simple one-step hydrothermal synthesis of an MoO₂/C composite using Vulcan XC-72R as a support. The MoO₂/C composite exhibits commendable catalytic activity for the ORR via a quasi-four-electron pathway. Compared with pure MoO₂ and Vulcan XC-72R, the catalytic performance of MoO₂/C composites for the ORR has been significantly improved and is very close to that of commercial Pt/C. Moreover, their methanol resistance, electron transport capacity, and electrochemical stability are superior to commercial Pt/C.