Issue 7, 2017

Functions in cooperation for enhanced oxygen reduction reaction: the independent roles of oxygen and nitrogen sites in metal-free nanocarbon and their functional synergy

Abstract

Heteroatom-doped nanocarbons are known to behave differently in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in aqueous systems. In the present study, we reveal the dissimilar roles of oxygen and nitrogen sites in nanocarbons and show that the different functions can jointly promote the ORR in cooperation when appropriately combined. The oxygen sites in general could efficiently facilitate both the HO2 generation and the reduction at high overpotential, while the active nitrogen sites could activate the ORR with a lower energy requirement and simultaneously reduce both O2 and HO2 at low overpotential. A further study to integrate the functionalities in a single nanocarbon reveals the oxidation-resistant nature of the active nitrogen functional group, a chemical basis for the reactivity.

Graphical abstract: Functions in cooperation for enhanced oxygen reduction reaction: the independent roles of oxygen and nitrogen sites in metal-free nanocarbon and their functional synergy

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 Dec 2016
Accepted
28 Dec 2016
First published
30 Dec 2016

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017,5, 3239-3248

Functions in cooperation for enhanced oxygen reduction reaction: the independent roles of oxygen and nitrogen sites in metal-free nanocarbon and their functional synergy

K. Wu, D. Wang, X. Zong, B. Zhang, Y. Liu, I. R. Gentle and D. Su, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2017, 5, 3239 DOI: 10.1039/C6TA10336G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements