CuO modified ZnO on nitrogen-doped carbon: a durable and efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Mahato, D and Gurusamy, T and Jain, SK and Ramanujam, K and Haridoss, P and Thomas, T (2022) CuO modified ZnO on nitrogen-doped carbon: a durable and efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction. In: Materials Today Chemistry, 26 .

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Abstract

The sluggish nature of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the current use of expensive precious metals (platinum Pt, palladium Pd, etc.) are barriers to the commercialization and scale-up of fuel cell and metal-air battery technologies. Given this, the development of low-cost non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts with high activity and durability is an area that requires attention. In this study, we report cupric oxide (CuO) modified zinc oxide (ZnO) supported on nitrogen-doped carbon (CuO/ZnO/NC-600) as a desirable electrocatalyst given its activity in alkaline medium, durability, and low cost. The CuO/ZnO/NC-600 catalyst shows excellent ORR activity with an onset potential and half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.91 V and 0.80 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), respectively, with outstanding limiting current density of 5.34 mA/cm2. The catalyst also displays excellent methanol tolerance, outstanding stability (90 % current retention after 24 h), and durability (only 18 mV half-wave potential shift after 2000 cyclic voltammetry CV cycles). The excellent activity and durability of the catalyst are attributed to the synergistic effect of CuO/ZnO and nitrogen-doped carbon. The structure formation of CuO modified ZnO supported on nitrogen doped carbon (CuO/ZnO/NC-600) catalyst provides the advantages associated with excellent conduction of electrons and a large specific surface area (220 m2/g). These, along with the desirable interfacial charge transfer between CuO and ZnO, aid in obtaining the observed ORR activity in CuO/ZnO/NC-600.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Materials Today Chemistry
Publisher:	Elsevier Ltd
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords:	Carbon; Catalyst activity; Charge transfer; Copper oxides; Costs; Cyclic voltammetry; Doping (additives); Durability; Electrocatalysts; Electrolytic reduction; Fuel cells; II-VI semiconductors; Nanocomposites; Nitrogen; Oxygen; Oxygen vacancies; Precious metals, 'current; Cupric oxide; Cupric oxide/zinc oxides; Half-wave potential; Low-costs; Nitrogen-doped carbons; Non-precious catalysts; Oxygen reduction reaction; Reaction activity; ]+ catalyst, Zinc oxide
Department/Centre:	Division of Chemical Sciences > Solid State & Structural Chemistry Unit
Date Deposited:	08 Oct 2022 04:04
Last Modified:	08 Oct 2022 04:04
URI:	https://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/77276

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