Nitrogen-doped hollow macroprous carbon spheres with high electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction

Journal: Materials Letters, 2011, doi:10.1016 /j.matlet.2011.11.035 Key: citeulike: 10047427

Author: Fei Zheng, Guiqin Mu, Zhiming Zhang, Yaou Shen, Maojun Zhao, Guangtang Pan

Abstract:

The nitrogen-dopedhollow macroporous carbonspheres (NHMCS) were synthesized by silica template using 3-ethyl-1-vinylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([VEIM]BF4) as the source of carbon and nitrogen. The as prepared NHMCS were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and elemental analysis. The results show that NHMCS have the ordered macroporous structure, high-surface-area as well as 1.7% nitrogendoped content. The typical electrochemical methods were used to study the activity of NHMCS for oxygenreduction reaction in alkaline media, and the results show that NHMCS possess better electrocatalyticactivity and high resistance to the methanol crossover than commercial Pt/C via a four-electron pathway.

Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167577X11013310