An efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst from natural cotton fibers for ORR/OER and electric field polarization effect

Volume 5, Issue 3, June 2020     |     PP. 29-70      |     PDF (4329 K)    |     Pub. Date: December 2, 2020
DOI:    178 Downloads     6002 Views  

Author(s)

Maryam Jahan, Chemistry Department, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70813, USA; Physics Department and Nano Catalysts Laboratory, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70813, USA
Kuo Li, Physics Department and Nano Catalysts Laboratory, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70813, USA
Guang-Lin Zhao, Physics Department and Nano Catalysts Laboratory, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70813, USA
Feng Gao, Physics Department and Nano Catalysts Laboratory, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70813, USA

Abstract
Developing efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts that drive both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is significant for renewable energy conversion and storage technologies. In this paper, we report a new method for synthesizing carbon nanostructures through catalytic thermolysis of natural cotton fibers. Pre-treated cotton with Fe annealed under ammonia gas environment at an optimized temperatures 900oC yielded nitrogen-iron doped carbon (NFe/C) with bamboo-like structures. Our experimental measurements show that NFe/C synthesized at 900oC (NFe/C (900oC)) possess good bifunctional electrocatalytic activities toward ORR and OER, with an excellent stability in alkaline electrolytes. We further studied the electric field polarization effect on NFe/C (900oC) by utilizing a DC electric field on the catalyst ink drop casted on a glassy carbon electrode. Interestingly, the applied electric field created a dielectrophoresis phenomenon that assisted the packing of the catalyst particles, and resulted in a compact catalyst electrode with an improvement of electrocatalytic performance, that have not been previously explored. The reported new synthesis method using natural cotton and the electric field polarization effect have the potential to achieve a low cost and mass production capability for producing carbon-based noble-metal-free bifunctional electrocatalysts for green energy conversions.

Keywords
natural cotton fibers; Oxygen Reduction Reaction; oxygen evolution reaction; electric field; renewable energy conversion; storage technologies

Cite this paper
Maryam Jahan, Kuo Li, Guang-Lin Zhao, Feng Gao, An efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst from natural cotton fibers for ORR/OER and electric field polarization effect , SCIREA Journal of Materials. Volume 5, Issue 3, June 2020 | PP. 29-70.

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