Abstract
Sheet-like carbon-nitrogen (CN x )/graphene composites with a high content of nitrogen (x ⩽ 0.15) was prepared by the carbonization of polypyrrole (PPy)/reduced-graphene-oxide (rGO) composite at 600–800°C. We used rGO instead of graphene oxide (GO) sheets as a template and a substrate to immobilize PPy since the PPy/GO composite agglomerates easily because of the dehydration of excess oxygen-containing groups on the GO sheets during the drying process. The dried PPy/rGO intermediate and its derived CN x /graphene products retain their high dispersion and loose-powder features. The as-prepared CN x /graphene composites have a total nitrogen content of about 10 at% and their nitrogen state is mainly of pyridinic and graphitic type. CN x /graphene composites exhibit excellent performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in terms of electrocatalytic activity, stability and immunity towards methanol crossover and CO poisoning, suggesting their potential as metal-free electrocatalysts for the ORR.
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Ma, Y., Zhang, L., Li, J. et al. Carbon-nitrogen/graphene composite as metal-free electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction. Chin. Sci. Bull. 56, 3583–3589 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-011-4730-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-011-4730-6