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Modified Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Fuel Cells



Author(s)

Dureid Qazzazie^{1, 2}, Michaela Beckert³, Rolf Mülhaupt³, Olena Yurchenko^{1, 2} and Gerald Urban²

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DOI:10.17265/1934-8975/2015.10.007

1. Freiburg Materials Research Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg D-79104, Germany
2. Laboratory for Sensors, Department of Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Freiburg D-79110, Germany
3. Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Freiburg, Freiburg D-79104, Germany

We report modified nitrogen-doped graphene (CN) as electrocatalyst for ORR (oxygen reduction reaction) in alkaline medium. CN was synthesized by a novel procedure based on graphite oxide thermally treated with cyanamide suitable for facile N-doping and large-scale production, whereas cyanamide was used as N-precursor. The structure of the material was characterized by TEM (transmission electron microscopy), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), Raman spectroscopy and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy). Structural and electrochemical properties of CN were compared with those of non-modified graphene (TRGO (thermally reduced graphite oxide)). The electrochemical characterization of TRGO and CN in alkaline solution demonstrates enhanced electrocatalytic ORR activity and improved long-term stability for N-doped CN. Voltammetric studies confirmed that, oxygen reduction on CN rather follows four-electron pathway. Compared with commercial 20% PtC catalyst, CN is characterized by exceptional methanol crossover resistance and superb long-term operation stability. Owing to these factors, nitrogen-doped graphene has a great potential to be used as metal-free electrocatalyst in cathodes of alkaline fuel cells.

Nitrogen-doped graphene, metal-free catalysis, oxygen reduction reaction, alkaline fuel cells.