N-doped carbon xerogels as Pt support for the electro-reduction of oxygen

Durability and limited catalytic activity are key impediments to the commercialization of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Carbon materials employed as catalyst support can be doped with different heteroatoms, like nitrogen, to improve both catalytic activity and durability. Carbon xerogels are nanop...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Alegre Gresa, Cinthia, Sebastián del Río, David, Gálvez Parruca, María Elena, Baquedano, Estela, Moliner Álvarez, Rafael, Aricò, Antonino Salvatore, Baglio, Vincenzo, Lázaro Elorri, María Jesús
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2017
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/172240
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/172240
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:N-doped
Carbon xerogels
Pt-catalysts
Oxygen reduction reaction
Descripción
Sumario:Durability and limited catalytic activity are key impediments to the commercialization of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Carbon materials employed as catalyst support can be doped with different heteroatoms, like nitrogen, to improve both catalytic activity and durability. Carbon xerogels are nanoporous carbons that can be easily synthesized in order to obtain N-doped materials. In the present work, we introduced melamine as a carbon xerogel precursor together with resorcinol for an effective in-situ N doping (3–4 wt % N). Pt nanoparticles were supported on nitrogen-doped carbon xerogels and their activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was evaluated in acid media along with their stability. Results provide new evidences of the type of N groups aiding the activity of Pt for the ORR and of a remarkable stability for N-doped carbon-supported Pt catalysts, providing appropriate physico-chemical features.