Sub-50 nm Iron-Nitrogen-Doped Hollow Carbon Sphere-Encapsulated Iron Carbide Nanoparticles as Efficient Oxygen Reduction Catalysts

Advanced Science
Haibo TanYusuke Yamauchi

Abstract

Sub-50 nm iron-nitrogen-doped hollow carbon sphere-encapsulated iron carbide nanoparticles (Fe3C-Fe,N/C) are synthesized by using a triblock copolymer of poly(styrene-b-2-vinylpyridine-b-ethylene oxide) as a soft template. Their typical features, including a large surface area (879.5 m2 g-1), small hollow size (≈16 nm), and nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon shell, and encapsulated Fe3C nanoparticles generate a highly active oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance. Fe3C-Fe,N/C hollow spheres exhibit an ORR performance comparable to that of commercially available 20 wt% Pt/C in alkaline electrolyte, with a similar half-wave potential, an electron transfer number close to 4, and lower H2O2 yield of less than 5%. It also shows noticeable ORR catalytic activity under acidic conditions, with a high half-wave potential of 0.714 V, which is only 59 mV lower than that of 20 wt% Pt/C. Moreover, Fe3C-Fe,N/C has remarkable long-term durability and tolerance to methanol poisoning, exceeding Pt/C regardless of the electrolyte.

References

Apr 20, 2006·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Chengdu Liang, Sheng Dai
Mar 20, 2008·Angewandte Chemie·Chengdu LiangSheng Dai
Jun 26, 2008·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Wei ChenXinhe Bao
May 29, 2012·Nature Nanotechnology·Yanguang LiHongjie Dai
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Nov 4, 2015·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Jing TangYusuke Yamauchi
Dec 7, 2016·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Yunqi LiKatsuhiko Ariga

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Citations

Sep 1, 2020·Chemistry, an Asian Journal·Mengfan LiHongwen Huang
Feb 16, 2021·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Pranav K GangadharanSreekumar Kurungot
Aug 7, 2019·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Huanhuan GuoLijie Ci

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
acid leaching
transmission electron microscopy
X‐ray
scanning electron microscopy

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