N-doped carbon nanotubes containing a high concentration of single iron atoms for efficient oxygen reduction
Source abstract
Abstract
Fe-N-C has emerged as a promising noble-metal-free catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, achieving a catalytic activity comparable to that of Pt in acidic medium remains a great challenge. Here we report a N-doped carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst in which a high concentration of single Fe atoms has been dispersed (CNT@Fe-N-PC). The catalyst was prepared by a simple and scalable atomic isolation method, in which a metal isolation agent was introduced to isolate Fe atoms and was then evaporated to produce abundant micropores that host single Fe atom active sites. The CNT@Fe-N-PC catalyst contained a high concentration of single Fe atom active sites and exhibited ultrahigh ORR activity with a half-wave potential of 0.82 V, comparable to that of Pt/C in an acidic medium. A high concentration of Fe-Nx active sites was created on a flexible single-wall CNT film and carbon cloth using this technique, and these materials showed even better ORR performance, that is, 40–60 mV more positive onset potentials than those of a commercial Pt/C catalyst. These catalysts exhibit excellent catalytic activity, good durability and low cost, and show great potential for commercial use as substitutes for current Pt-based catalysts. Inexpensive carbon nanotubes containing iron and sacrificial zinc atoms may widen the use of fuel cells in alternative energy applications. The long driving ranges of fuel-cell-powered vehicles are tempered by a reliance on pricy platinum catalysts for converting oxygen and hydrogen into water. An international team led by Chang Liu from the Institute of Metal Research in China has now developed an improved way of synthesizing iron–nitrogen–carbon catalysts that promises to eliminate expensive noble metals from fuel cells. The team turned nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes into materials with uniform micropores that can host high amounts of single iron atoms – a key contributor to catalytic activity – using thermally sensitive, atom-isolating agents such as zinc. This strategy produced flexible carbon films or cloths that outperformed commercial platinum-based catalysts in terms of both cost and energy usage. A N-doped carbon nanotube catalyst containing a high concentration of single Fe atoms was prepared by a simple and scalable atomic isolation method, in which a metal isolation agent was introduced to isolate single Fe atoms and was then evaporated to produce abundant micropores that host single Fe atom active sites. As a result, the catalysts obtained showed excellent ORR performance, even better than that of commercial Pt/C catalysts in an acidic medium.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion · Fuel Cells and Related Materials · Advanced battery technologies research
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (43)
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