Issue

Vol. 11 (2019)

Stepwise Fabrication of Co-Embedded Porous Multichannel Carbon Nanofibers for High-Efficiency Oxygen Reduction

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-019-0264-2
Zeming Tang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials and Technology for Energy Conversion, College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, People’s Republic of China
Yingxuan Zhao
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials and Technology for Energy Conversion, College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, People’s Republic of China
Qingxue Lai
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials and Technology for Energy Conversion, College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, People’s Republic of China
Jia Zhong
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials and Technology for Energy Conversion, College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, People’s Republic of China
Yanyu Liang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Materials and Technology for Energy Conversion, College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Yanyu Liang

liangyy403@126.com

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 11 (2019), Article Number: 33

Abstract

A novel nonprecious metal material consisting of Co-embedded porous interconnected multichannel carbon nanofibers (Co/IMCCNFs) was rationally designed for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysis. In the synthesis, ZnCo2O4 was employed to form interconnected mesoporous channels and provide highly active Co3O4/Co core–shell nanoparticle-based sites for the ORR. The IMC structure with a large synergistic effect of the N and Co active sites provided fast ORR electrocatalysis kinetics. The Co/IMCCNFs exhibited a high half-wave potential of 0.82 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode) and excellent stability with a current retention up to 88% after 12,000 cycles in a current–time test, which is only 55% for 30 wt% Pt/C.


Highlights:


1 An interconnected structure is developed by evaporation of zinc species using a ZnCo2O4 precursor as the cobalt resource, enabling communications between channels as well as homogeneous loading of active sites.
2 A shell structure of Co3O4 is formed on the surface of a zero-valent Co0 core during a stepwise carbothermic reduction of ZnCo2O4.
3 The Co-embedded multichannel carbon nanofibers exhibit not only a superior half-wave potential, but also an excellent durability compared to those of the commercial 30% Pt/C.

Keywords

Nonprecious metal material Multichannel carbon nanofiber Oxygen reduction reaction Core–shell nanoparticle Synergistic effect
Tang, Zeming, Yingxuan Zhao, Qingxue Lai, Jia Zhong, and Yanyu Liang. 2019. “Stepwise Fabrication of Co-Embedded Porous Multichannel Carbon Nanofibers for High-Efficiency Oxygen Reduction”. Nano-Micro Letters 11 (April):33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-019-0264-2.
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