Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of Oxygen
Carbon-based nanocomposites have been attracting extensive attention as high-performance catalysts in alkaline media towards the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. Herein, polyacrylonitrile nanoflowers are synthesized via a free-radical polymerization route and used as a structural scaffold and pr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Inorganics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6740/10/3/36 |
| _version_ | 1797470666458398720 |
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| author | Rene Mercado Forrest Nichols Shaowei Chen |
| author_facet | Rene Mercado Forrest Nichols Shaowei Chen |
| author_sort | Rene Mercado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Carbon-based nanocomposites have been attracting extensive attention as high-performance catalysts in alkaline media towards the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. Herein, polyacrylonitrile nanoflowers are synthesized via a free-radical polymerization route and used as a structural scaffold and precursor, whereby controlled pyrolysis leads to the ready preparation of carbon nanocomposites (FeNi-NCF) doped with both metal (Fe and Ni) and nonmetal (N) elements. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that the FeNi-NCF composites retain the flower-like morphology, with the metal species atomically dispersed into the flaky carbon petals. Remarkably, despite a similar structure, elemental composition, and total metal content, the FeNi-NCF sample with a high Fe:Ni ratio exhibits an electrocatalytic performance towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media that is similar to that by commercial Pt/C, likely due to the Ni to Fe electron transfer that promotes the adsorption and eventual reduction of oxygen, as evidenced in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. Results from this study underline the importance of the electronic properties of metal dopants in the manipulation of the ORR activity of carbon nanocomposites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:39:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a7aeae17479480cbd31e88cb687796e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-6740 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:39:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Inorganics |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a7aeae17479480cbd31e88cb687796e2023-11-24T01:42:44ZengMDPI AGInorganics2304-67402022-03-011033610.3390/inorganics10030036Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of OxygenRene Mercado0Forrest Nichols1Shaowei Chen2Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USACarbon-based nanocomposites have been attracting extensive attention as high-performance catalysts in alkaline media towards the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. Herein, polyacrylonitrile nanoflowers are synthesized via a free-radical polymerization route and used as a structural scaffold and precursor, whereby controlled pyrolysis leads to the ready preparation of carbon nanocomposites (FeNi-NCF) doped with both metal (Fe and Ni) and nonmetal (N) elements. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that the FeNi-NCF composites retain the flower-like morphology, with the metal species atomically dispersed into the flaky carbon petals. Remarkably, despite a similar structure, elemental composition, and total metal content, the FeNi-NCF sample with a high Fe:Ni ratio exhibits an electrocatalytic performance towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media that is similar to that by commercial Pt/C, likely due to the Ni to Fe electron transfer that promotes the adsorption and eventual reduction of oxygen, as evidenced in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. Results from this study underline the importance of the electronic properties of metal dopants in the manipulation of the ORR activity of carbon nanocomposites.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6740/10/3/36polyacrylonitrilecarbon flowermetal–metal charge transferelectrocatalytic activityoxygen reduction reaction |
| spellingShingle | Rene Mercado Forrest Nichols Shaowei Chen Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of Oxygen Inorganics polyacrylonitrile carbon flower metal–metal charge transfer electrocatalytic activity oxygen reduction reaction |
| title | Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of Oxygen |
| title_full | Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of Oxygen |
| title_fullStr | Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of Oxygen |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of Oxygen |
| title_short | Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Flowers with Fe and Ni Dual Metal Centers for Effective Electroreduction of Oxygen |
| title_sort | nitrogen doped carbon flowers with fe and ni dual metal centers for effective electroreduction of oxygen |
| topic | polyacrylonitrile carbon flower metal–metal charge transfer electrocatalytic activity oxygen reduction reaction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6740/10/3/36 |
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