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Multi-scale porous graphene/activated carbon aerogel enables lightweight carbonaceous catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 September 2017

Yang Yang  and
Honglong Chang
Yang Yang
Affiliation:
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Micro/Nano Systems for Aerospace, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China; and Unmanned System Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China
Honglong Chang*
Affiliation:
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Micro/Nano Systems for Aerospace, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China; and Unmanned System Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, People’s Republic of China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: changhl@nwpu.edu.cn
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Abstract

The catalytic property toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) plays a significant role in the power generation of fuel cells (FCs). Here we demonstrate a graphene/activated carbon aerogel (GA/AC) composite to facilitate the ORR process, which is synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method. The aligned pores and high porosity enable its mass density 20-times lighter than bare AC. Electrochemical studies show that the composite exhibits a remarkably improved electro-catalytic performance. The onset potential shifts positively from 0.68 to 0.83 V, and the number of electrons transferred is increased from 2.85 to 3.52, indicating that a four-electron pathway dominates the ORR process. This composite presents a mesoporous structure containing a large number of multi-scale pores and having a high specific surface area of 758.19 m2/g, which is responsible for its excellent onset potential and charge transfer rate. These aerogel-composites show great potential as ORR catalysts for assembling lightweight FCs and metal-air batteries.

Keywords

aerogelcatalyticmicrostructure
Type
Invited Article
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 33 , Issue 9: Focus Issue: Porous Carbon and Carbonaceous Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage , 14 May 2018 , pp. 1247 - 1257
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Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

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Footnotes

Contributing Editor: Tianyu Liu

References

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