Electrochemical Performance of Metal-Free Carbon-Based Catalysts from Different Hydrothermal Carbonization Treatments for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Autor: Aldo Girimonte, Andrea Stefani, Clara Mucci, Roberto Giovanardi, Andrea Marchetti, Massimo Innocenti, Claudio Fontanesi
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Nanomaterials, Vol 14, Iss 2, p 173 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 14020173
2079-4991
DOI: 10.3390/nano14020173
Popis: This research investigates the difference between products obtained through two hydrothermal carbonization treatments. Our aim is to synthesize metal-free, carbon-based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to serve as efficient and cost-effective alternatives to platinum-based catalysts. Catalysts synthesized using the traditional hydrothermal approach exhibit a higher electrocatalytic activity for ORR in alkaline media, despite their more energy-intensive production process. The superior performance is attributed to differences in the particle morphology and the chemical composition of the particle surfaces. The presence of functional groups on the surfaces of catalysts obtained via a traditional approach significantly enhances ORR activity by facilitating deprotonation reactions in an alkaline environment. Our research aims to provide a reference for future investigations, shifting the focus to the fine-tuning of surface chemical compositions and morphologies of metal-free catalysts to enhance ORR activity.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals