Weijiang Zhou

Nitrogen-doped Graphene-Supported Transition-metals Carbide Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

A novel and facile two-step strategy has been designed to prepare high performance bi-transition-metals (Fe- and Mo-) carbide supported on nitrogen-doped graphene (FeMo-NG) as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). The as-synthesized FeMo carbide -NG catalysts exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activities for ORR in alkaline solution, with high onset potential (−0.09 V vs. saturated KCl Ag/AgCl), nearly four electron transfer number (nearly 4) and high kinetic-limiting current density (up to 3.5 mA cm−2 at −0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl). Furthermore, FeMo carbide -NG composites show good cycle stability and much better toxicity tolerance durability than the commercial Pt/C catalyst, paving their application in high-performance fuel cell and lithium-air batteries.

Carbon Nanotube-Based Materials for Fuel Cell Applications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted extensive research interest due to their unique structure and properties such as high surface area, extraordinary mechanical properties, high electronic conductivity and chemical stability. These remarkable characteristics of CNTs, along with the inherent benefits of a carbon material, make CNTs promising candidates for fuel cell applications. In this review, we summarize and compare the recent research and development on CNT-based fuel cells, particularly focussing on CNTs as a catalytic support for enhanced electro-catalytic activity, metal-free electro-catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction and fillers in the polymer electrolyte membrane in fuel cells.