The use of different types of reduced graphene oxide in the preparation of Fe-N-C electrocatalysts: capacitive behavior and oxygen reduction reaction activity in alkaline medium

• Published in: Journal of solid state electrochemistry Vol. 20; no. 12; pp. 3507 - 3523
• Main Authors: Osmieri, Luigi, Monteverde Videla, Alessandro H. A., Specchia, Stefania
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Annealing; Catalysts; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical properties; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Electrocatalysts; Electrochemistry; Energy Storage; Exfoliation; Graphene; Nitrogen; Noble metals; Original Paper; Oxygen reduction reactions; Physical Chemistry; Pyrolysis; Rotating disks; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Non-noble metal catalysts; Capacitance; Graphite oxide; Reduced graphene oxide; Oxygen reduction reaction; Rotating disk electrode
• ISSN: 1432-8488; 1433-0768
• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-016-3332-2

Three different types of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were prepared starting from graphite oxide (GO) produced with the Hummers’ method using three different exfoliation-reduction strategies: thermal annealing under N 2 atmosphere at 700 °C, thermal annealing under H 2 –N 2 (1:1 vol.) atmosphere at 500 °C and ultrasonication. Then, three non-noble metal catalysts (NNMC) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were synthesized using these three different rGO as carbon supports, by impregnation of a complex formed between Fe(II) ions and 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (TPTZ) as source of nitrogen, followed by a pyrolysis at 800 °C. The physical-chemical properties of rGO and Fe-N/rGO catalysts were characterized by N 2 physisorption, XRD, XPS, SEM, and EDX. The capacitive behavior and the ORR activity of rGO and Fe-N/rGO catalysts were measured in alkaline conditions by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and rotating disk electrode (RDE), respectively. The three different reduction-exfoliation methods used for the rGO preparation influenced the physical-chemical properties, as well as the capacitive currents and the ORR activity of both rGO and Fe-N/rGO. This provides an insight about which synthesis process could be the most convenient for the final application. Graphical abstract ᅟ