CoSe2 supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanohorns as a methanol-tolerant cathode for air-breathing microlaminar flow fuel cells

TitleCoSe2 supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanohorns as a methanol-tolerant cathode for air-breathing microlaminar flow fuel cells
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsUnni, SKM, Mora-Hernandez, JM, Kurungot, S, Alonso-Vante, N
JournalChemelectrochem
Volume2
Issue9
Pagination1339-1345
Date PublishedSEP
ISSN2196-0216
Keywordscarbon nanohorns, chalcogenides, fuel cells, oxygen reduction reaction, platinum
Abstract

The synthesis of CoSe2 nanoparticles supported on nitrogendoped carbon nanohorns (CoSe2/NCNH) and the influence of the interaction of the metal centre with the NCNH on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are reported. CoSe2/NCNH shows a 50 mV lower onset overpotential and a 150 mV positive shift in the half-wave potential compared to CoSe2 supported on carbon and carbon nanohorns. This suggests that the intrinsic activity and the density of active reaction centres of CoSe2 are modified by NCNHs. An air-breathing direct meth-anol microlaminar flow fuel cell (mLFFC) is constructed using CoSe2/NCNH as a methanol-tolerant cathode catalyst. A maximum power density of 10.05 mWcm(-2) and a maximum current density of 124.20 mAcm(-2) are achieved with CoSe2/NCNH compared to the non-doped catalyst, CoSe2/C and Pt/C with 5m methanol as the fuel. The improved activity of CoSe2/ NCNH is attributed to the peculiar morphology and the nitrogen doping of the carbon nanohorns. This catalyst could be a suitable alternative to Pt.

DOI10.1002/celc.201500154
Type of Journal (Indian or Foreign)

Foreign

Impact Factor (IF)3.506
Divison category: 
Physical and Materials Chemistry