Issue 17, 2019

Ultrasmall Co2P2O7 nanocrystals anchored on nitrogen-doped graphene as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

Although cobalt pyrophosphate (Co2P2O7) has shown promise as a potential electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), its electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has rarely been explored. In this work, a novel composite catalyst with in situ grown Co2P2O7 on nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheets (Co2P2O7/N-rGO) was fabricated by a facile one-step pyrolysis method. Pyrolysis temperature was found to have a significant effect on the morphology, structure and ORR performance of the composites. The catalyst fabricated at 800 °C (Co2P2O7/N-rGO-800) presented ultrasmall Co2P2O7 nanocrystals (below 5 nm) anchored on N-rGO and the highest pyridinic-N proportion. Benefiting from the full exposure of active sites on the ultrasmall Co2P2O7 nanocrystals, abundant pyridinic-N species and the synergistic effect of Co2P2O7 and N-doped graphene, optimized Co2P2O7/N-rGO-800 not only demonstrates excellent ORR catalytic activity with a positive cathodic peak potential (0.823 V vs. 0.833 V of the commercial Pt/C catalyst), but also shows superior durability and methanol crossover resistance to Pt/C in alkaline solution. In addition, the composite catalyst also exhibits reasonable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance and impressive OER stability in KOH solution. These findings suggest that the Co2P2O7/N-rGO catalysts may be promising candidates as oxygen electrocatalysts for future energy conversion applications.

Graphical abstract: Ultrasmall Co2P2O7 nanocrystals anchored on nitrogen-doped graphene as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
18 Jan 2019
Accepted
20 Mar 2019
First published
21 Mar 2019

New J. Chem., 2019,43, 6492-6499

Ultrasmall Co2P2O7 nanocrystals anchored on nitrogen-doped graphene as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

K. Li, M. Guo, Y. Yan, K. Zhan, J. Yang, B. Zhao and J. Li, New J. Chem., 2019, 43, 6492 DOI: 10.1039/C9NJ00299E

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