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Iron polyphthalocyanine sheathed multiwalled carbon nanotubes: A high-performance electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

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Abstract

The past decade has witnessed a rapid surge of interest in the research and development of non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Until now, the best catalysts in acidic electrolytes have exclusively been Fe-N-C-type materials from high-temperature pyrolysis. Despite the ORR activities of metal phthalocyanine or porphyrin macrocycles having long been known, their durability remains poor. In this work, we use these macrocycles as a basis to develop a novel organic-carbon hybrid material from in-situ polymerization of iron phthalocyanine on conductive multiwalled carbon nanotube scaffolds using a low-temperature microwave heating method. At an optimal polymerto- carbon ratio, the hybrid electrocatalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity with a positive half-wave potential (0.80 V), large mass activity (up to 18.0 A/g at 0.80 V), and a low peroxide yield (<3%). In addition, strong electronic coupling between the polymer and carbon nanotubes is believed to suppress demetallization of the macrocycles, significantly improving cycling stability in acids. Our study represents a rare example of non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts prepared without high-temperature pyrolysis, while having ORR activity in acidic media with potential for practical applications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, China

    Xinxia Wang, Bin Wang, Jun Zhong, Feipeng Zhao, Na Han, Wenjing Huang, Min Zeng, Jian Fan & Yanguang Li

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  1. Xinxia Wang
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  2. Bin Wang
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  3. Jun Zhong
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  4. Feipeng Zhao
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  5. Na Han
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  6. Wenjing Huang
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  7. Min Zeng
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  8. Jian Fan
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  9. Yanguang Li
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Correspondence to Jian Fan or Yanguang Li.

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Wang, X., Wang, B., Zhong, J. et al. Iron polyphthalocyanine sheathed multiwalled carbon nanotubes: A high-performance electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction. Nano Res. 9, 1497–1506 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1046-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1046-5

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