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Title: Quaternary FeCoNiMn-Based Nanocarbon Electrocatalysts for Bifunctional Oxygen Reduction and Evolution: Promotional Role of Mn Doping in Stabilizing Carbon

Journal Article · · ACS Catalysis
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4];  [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [3];  [2]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. at Buffalo, NY (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering
  2. Giner Inc., Newton, MA (United States)
  3. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Center for Functional Nanomaterials
  4. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

The intrinsic instability of carbon largely limits its use for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) as a bifunctional catalyst in reversible fuel cells or water electrolyzers. In this paper, we discovered that Mn doping has a promotional role in stabilizing nanocarbon catalysts for the ORR/OER in alkaline media. Stable nanocarbon composites are derived from an inexpensive carbon/nitrogen precursor (i.e., dicyandiamide) and quaternary FeCoNiMn alloy via a template-free carbonization process. In addition to FeCoNiMn metal alloys/oxides, the carbon composites comprise substantial carbon tube forests growing on a thick and dense graphitic substrate. The dense carbon substrate with high degree of graphitization results from Mn doping, while active nitrogen-doped carbon tubes stem from FeCoNi. Catalyst structures and performance are greatly dependent on the doping content of Mn. Various accelerated stress tests (AST) and life tests verify the encouraging ORR/OER stability of the nanocarbon composite catalyst with optimal Mn doping. Extensive characterization before and after ASTs elucidates the mechanism of stability enhancement resulting from Mn doping, which is attributed to (i) hybrid carbon nanostructures with enhanced resistance to oxidation and (ii) the in situ formation of the β-MnO2 and FeCoNi-based oxides capable of preventing carbon corrosion and promoting activity. Note that the improvement in stability due to Mn doping is accompanied by a slight activity loss due to a decrease in surface area. Finally, this work provides a strategy to stabilize carbon catalysts by appropriately integrating transition metals and engineering carbon structures.

Research Organization:
Giner Inc., Newton, MA (United States); Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Univ. at Buffalo, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office; USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012704; EE0006960; CBET-1604392
OSTI ID:
1425082
Report Number(s):
BNL-203254-2018-JAAM
Journal Information:
ACS Catalysis, Vol. 7, Issue 12; ISSN 2155-5435
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 107 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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A Review of Precious-Metal-Free Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts: Rational Design and Applications in Zn−Air Batteries journal August 2018
Metal-organic framework based nanomaterials for electrocatalytic oxygen redox reaction journal March 2019
Metal organic frameworks derived single atom catalysts for electrocatalytic energy conversion journal March 2019
A unique sandwich structure of a CoMnP/Ni 2 P/NiFe electrocatalyst for highly efficient overall water splitting journal January 2019
Large-diameter and heteroatom-doped graphene nanotubes decorated with transition metals as carbon hosts for lithium–sulfur batteries journal January 2019
Metal-Nitrogen-Carbon Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction in PEM Fuel Cells: Self-Template Synthesis Approach to Enhancing Catalytic Activity and Stability journal March 2019
Electrochemical synthesis of ammonia from N 2 and H 2 O using a typical non-noble metal carbon-based catalyst under ambient conditions journal January 2019
Metal–organic frameworks-based catalysts for electrochemical oxygen evolution journal January 2019
Efficient Oxygen Reduction Catalysts of Porous Carbon Nanostructures Decorated with Transition Metal Species journal June 2019
Ternary MnO/CoMn alloy@N-doped graphitic composites derived from a bi-metallic pigment as bi-functional electrocatalysts journal January 2019
Atomically dispersed manganese catalysts for oxygen reduction in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells journal October 2018
3D porous graphitic nanocarbon for enhancing the performance and durability of Pt catalysts: a balance between graphitization and hierarchical porosity journal January 2019
Atomically Dispersed Single Ni Site Catalysts for Nitrogen Reduction toward Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis Using N 2 and H 2 O journal February 2020
Recent Progress in Precious Metal‐Free Carbon‐Based Materials towards the Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Activity, Stability, and Anti‐Poisoning journal November 2019
N,P Co‐Coordinated Manganese Atoms in Mesoporous Carbon for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction journal January 2019
Nanostructured Carbon Based Heterogeneous Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Media journal October 2019
Achievements, challenges and perspectives on cathode catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells for transportation journal July 2019