Identification of Catalytic Sites for Oxygen Reduction in Metal/Nitrogen-Doped Carbons with Encapsulated Metal Nanoparticles

Chen MX, Zhu M, Zuo M, Chu SQ, Zhang J, Wu Y, Liang HW, Feng X (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

Angewandte Chemie International Edition Wiley

Book Volume: 59

Pages Range: 1627-1633

Journal Issue: 4

DOI: 10.1002/anie.201912275

Abstract

The development of metal-N-C materials as efficient non-precious metal (NPM) catalysts for catalysing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as alternatives to platinum is important for the practical use of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, metal-N-C materials have high structural heterogeneity. As a result of their high-temperature synthesis they often consist of metal-Nx sites and graphene-encapsulated metal nanoparticles. Thus it is hard to identify the active structure of metal-N-C catalysts. Herein, we report a low-temperature NH4Cl-treatment to etch out graphene-encapsulated nanoparticles from metal-N-C catalysts without destruction of co-existing atomically dispersed metal-Nx sites. Catalytic activity is much enhanced by this selective removal of metallic nanoparticles. Accordingly, we can confirm the spectator role of graphene-encapsulated nanoparticles and the pivotal role of metal-Nx sites in the metal-N-C materials for ORR in the acidic medium.

Involved external institutions

University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) CN China (CN) Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) / 中国科学院 CN China (CN) Technische Universität Dresden DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Chen, M.-X., Zhu, M., Zuo, M., Chu, S.-Q., Zhang, J., Wu, Y.,... Feng, X. (2020). Identification of Catalytic Sites for Oxygen Reduction in Metal/Nitrogen-Doped Carbons with Encapsulated Metal Nanoparticles. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 59(4), 1627-1633. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201912275

MLA:

Chen, Ming-Xi, et al. "Identification of Catalytic Sites for Oxygen Reduction in Metal/Nitrogen-Doped Carbons with Encapsulated Metal Nanoparticles." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 59.4 (2020): 1627-1633.

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