Multi-active sites of iron carbide nanoparticles on nitrogen@cobalt-doped carbon for a highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

The design of a low-cost, stable, and highly efficient electrocatalyst using a non-precious material and carbon composites for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity to replace platinum-based electrocatalyst is essential for future energy conversion devices, such as fuel cells and metal air batteries. However, previous efforts to acquire the high ORR activity by non-precious material and carbon composites faced substantial challenges due to a few active sites during electrochemical reactions. Herein, we synthesize an advanced composite of iron carbide nanoparticles on nitrogen and cobalt-doped carbon nanofiber (Fe3C/N@Co-doped CNF) by electrospinning, a precures coating process and carbonization. Fe3C/N@Co-doped CNF offers a high onset potential of 0.9 V, high half-wave potential (E-1/2) potential of 0.8 V, and a nearly four-electron pathway (n = 3.9). Therefore, this unique composite provides multiactive sites using the doping system and metal carbide nanoparticles for the ORR activity, as well as an outstanding tolerance to methanol crossover. (c) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.