Preparations and Electrocatalytic Properties of Cu-bipy-BTC-Derived Carbon-Based Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Authors

Li-hua ZHANG, 1. The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China; 2. Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Nanomaterials, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
Jun-feng CHEN, 1. The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China; 2. Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Nanomaterials, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
Wan-tang HUANG, 1. The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China; 2. Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Nanomaterials, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
Yong-you HU, 1. The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China; 2. Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Nanomaterials, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. ChinaFollow
Jian-hua CHENG, 1. The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China; 2. Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Nanomaterials, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
Yuan-cai CHEN, 1. The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China; 2. Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environmental Nanomaterials, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China

Corresponding Author

Yong-you HU(ppyyhu@scut.edu.cn)

Abstract

Efficient and low-cost oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst plays a key role for fuel cells. In this paper, ORR active metal organic framework (MOF: Cu-bipy-BTC, bipy = 2,2?-bipyridine, BTC = 1,3,5-tricarboxylate) was prepared using hydrothermal method, and then carbon-based material MOF-800 was obtained from pyrolyzing Cu-bipy-BTC at 800 °C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nitrogen sorption isotherm and X-ray photolectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the morphologies and structures of the catalysts. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and current-time curve (i-t) were adopted to evaluate the electrocatalytic properties of the catalysts. The results showed that the MOF-800 originated a certain amount of micropores (0.5 ~ 1.3 nm) compared with the MOF precursor. The MOF-800 had excellent electrical conductivity with a charge transfer resistance of 10.6 Ω, reduced by 97.2% compared to Cu-bipy-BTC. It also exhibited excellent ORR electrocatalytic performance with the onset potential of ca. −0.04 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and the electron transfer number close to 4. As a Cu, N-incorporated carbon-based catalyst, MOF-800 had good electrical conductivity, and the large amounts of pyridinic, pyrrolic and graphitic nitrogen provided abundant active sites (C–N, Cu–N_x), which resulted in the improved ORR electrocatalytic activity. This study provided technical and theoretical validations for the improvements in electrical conductivity and ORR catalytic performance of Cu-bipy-BTC by pyrolyzing.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Cu, N-incorporated porous carbon, pyrolysis, metalorganic framework, oxygen reduction reaction, electrocatalysis

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.13208/j.electrochem.180308

Publication Date

2019-08-28

Online Available Date

2019-08-28

Revised Date

2018-06-05

Received Date

2018-03-13

Recommended Citation

Li-hua ZHANG, Jun-feng CHEN, Wan-tang HUANG, Yong-you HU, Jian-hua CHENG, Yuan-cai CHEN. Preparations and Electrocatalytic Properties of Cu-bipy-BTC-Derived Carbon-Based Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction[J]. Journal of Electrochemistry, 2019 , 25(4): 180308.
DOI: 10.13208/j.electrochem.180308
Available at: https://jelectrochem.xmu.edu.cn/journal/vol25/iss4/11