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High catalytic activity of Ti4O7/CNTs oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts with excellent circulation and methanol resistance

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Abstract

Electro catalysts play a vital role in facilitating the reaction process in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of fuel cells. In methanol fuel cells, methanol easily penetrates the diaphragm rendering the ORR catalyst inactive. Although commercial platinum exhibits excellent ORR catalytic activity, its poor methanol resistance and long-time durability severely restrict its sustainable development and application. This work synthesized Ti4O7/CNT nanocomposite electrocatalysts by using the sol-gel method followed by high-temperature carbothermal reduction. The obtained catalysts exhibit a large electrochemically active surface area (347.89 cm2) and low interfacial charge transfer resistance (64.5 Ω). The reduction potential (0.73 V), onset potential (0.93 V), half-wave potential (0.73 V), and electron transfer number (3.7) of this electrocatalyst are all close to those of the Pt/C electrocatalysts in alkaline medium. Simultaneously, it also possesses remarkable methanol tolerance and long-term durability, whose relative current density can maintain above 74% after cycling for 24 h.

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Acknowledgements

The authors expressed their thanks for the technical support of the Instrumental Analysis Center of Xidian University.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.62274130), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. QTZX22063 and Grant No. XJS221402), the Fund from the Department of Science and Technology in Shaanxi Province (Grant No.2016FWPT-09), the Natural Science Basic Research Plan of Shaanxi Province (Grant No.2022JM-088, Grant No. 2022JQ-582 and Grant No. 2021JM-191), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No.2021YFF0500504 and Grant No.2022YFB3204101), and the Wuhu and Xidian University Special Fund for Industry-University-Research Cooperation (Project No.XWYCXY-012021020).

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  1. Yimin Lei and Yuxiang Wei are co-first author.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Xidian University, 266# Xifeng Road, Xi’an, 710126, China

    Yimin Lei, Yuxiang Wei, Dekai Wu, Yanan Sun, Xuejiao Zhou, He Xi & Peng Zhong

  2. Key Laboratory of Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, 710071, China

    Qing Zhu

  3. Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry (MOE), Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Energy Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Engineering Lab for Advanced Energy Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, 620 West Chang’ an Street, Xi’an, 710119, China

    Jie Sun

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Lei, Y., Wei, Y., Wu, D. et al. High catalytic activity of Ti4O7/CNTs oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts with excellent circulation and methanol resistance. J Solid State Electrochem 27, 2787–2798 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-023-05556-0

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