02716nas a2200229 4500008004100000022001400041245017200055210006900227260007100296300001600367490000600383520177500389653002002164653001702184653003002201653003402231653002302265100002302288700002402311700002402335856012702359 2015 eng d a1944-824400aSurface-tuned Co3O4 nanoparticles dispersed on nitrogen-doped graphene as an efficient cathode electrocatalyst for mechanical rechargeable zinc-air battery application0 aSurfacetuned Co3O4 nanoparticles dispersed on nitrogendoped grap a1155 16TH ST, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 USAbAMER CHEMICAL SOCcSEP a21138-211490 v73 a

The most vital component of the fuel cells and metal air batteries is the electrocatalyst, which can facilitate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at a significantly reduced overpotential. The present work deals with the development of surface-tuned cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles dispersed on nitrogen-doped graphene as a potential ORR electrocatalyst possessing some unique advantages. The thermally reduced nitrogen-doped graphene (NGr) was decorated with three different morphologies of Co3O4 nanoparticles, viz., cubic, blunt edged cubic, and spherical, by using a simple hydrothermal method. We found that the spherical Co3O4 nanoparticle supported NGr catalyst (Co3O4-SP/NGr-24h) has acquired a significant activity makeover to display the ORR activity closely matching with the state-of-the-art Pt supported carbon (PtC) catalyst in alkaline medium. Subsequently, the Co3O4-SP/NGr-24h catalyst has been utilized as the air electrode in a Zn-air battery, which was found to show comparable performance to the system derived from PtC. Co3O4-SP/NGr-24h catalyst has shown several hours of flat discharge profile at the discharge rates of 10, 20, and 50 mA/cm(2) with a specific capacity and energy density of similar to 590 mAh/g(-zn) and,840 Wh/kg(-zn), respectively, in the primary Zn-air battery system. In conjunction, Co3O4-SP/NGr-24h has outperformed as an air electrode in mechanical rechargeable Zn-air battery as well, which has shown consistent flat discharge profile with minimal voltage loss at a discharge rate of 50 mA/cm(2). The present results, thus demonstrate that the proper combination of the tuned morphology of Co3O4 with NGr will be a promising and inexpensive material for efficient and ecofriendly cathodes for Zn-air batteries.

10aelectrocatalyst10amixed facets10aoxygen reduction reaction10arechargeable zinc-air battery10asurface morphology1 aSingh, Santosh, K.1 aDhavale, Vishal, M.1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/surface-tuned-co3o4-nanoparticles-dispersed-nitrogen-doped-graphene-efficient-cathode-002821nas a2200349 4500008004100000022001400041245018300055210006900238260000800307300001400315490000600329520162200335653002201957653002001979653001201999653001402011653002402025653002402049653002402073653002102097653002002118653001702138653003002155653001602185653001402201653002702215653003402242100002402276700002302300700002402323856012402347 2017 eng d a2365-654900aActivity tuning of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles anchored on N-doped reduced graphene oxide as a potential oxygen reduction electrocatalyst by Zn substitution in the spinel matrix0 aActivity tuning of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles anchored on Ndop cSEP a7845-78530 v23 a

Development of highly efficient and durable ORR catalysts by using non-platinum group metals (such as Co, Fe, Mn, and Zn) is a challenging task in the forward path towards the realization of low-cost energy devices in the commercial stream. The present work deals with an effective strategy wherein an efficient Pt-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is prepared by stoichiometrically substituting some fraction of Fe with Zn in cobalt ferrite and anchoring these spinel nanoparticles on nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO). Zn substitution is found to be significantly altering the ratio of Fe2+/Fe3+ in the cobalt ferrite nanocrystal system with a concomitant promotional influence on its electrocatalytic activity towards ORR. The nanoparticle composition with a Co, Fe and Zn molar ratio of 1.0:1.7:0.3, represented by the formula CoFe1.7Zn0.3O4(CFZn(0.3)), supported over N-rGO has shown 10 mV and 20 mV positive shift in the onset and half-wave potentials, respectively, for ORR in 0.1 M KOH in comparison to the nanoparticles of CoFe2O4 supported over N-rGO (CF/N-rGO). The optimum Zn substitution is found to be narrowing down the difference with the state-of-the-art Pt/C for ORR by 100 and 110 mV in terms of the onset and half-wave potentials, respectively. Most significantly, the homemade catalyst is found to be clearly outperforming the Pt catalyst in terms of the limiting current density and electrochemical durability.

10aCarbon Nano-fiber10aCathod Catalyst10aCoFe2O410aEvolution10aMagnetic-properties10aMembrane fuel- Cell10aMetal-Air Batteries10aN-doped graphene10aNanocrystalline10ananocrystals10aoxygen reduction reaction10aperformance10aPlatinium10asolvothermal synthesis10aZn substituted cobalt ferrite1 aKashyap, Varchaswal1 aSingh, Santosh, K.1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/activity-tuning-cobalt-ferrite-nanoparticles-anchored-n-doped-reduced-graphene-oxide02901nas a2200301 4500008004100000022001400041245013800055210006900193260000800262300001400270490000600284520183300290653003802123653002502161653002402186653003002210653002802240653001902268100002302287700002402310700002102334700002802355700001502383700002302398700002202421700002502443856013102468 2017 eng d a2155-543500aEfficient and durable oxygen reduction electrocatalyst based on CoMn alloy oxide nanoparticles supported over N-doped porous graphene0 aEfficient and durable oxygen reduction electrocatalyst based on  cOCT a6700-67100 v73 aTransition metal oxide derived materials are very important for various applications, such as electronics, magnetism, catalysis, electrochemical energy conversion, and storage. Development of efficient and durable catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), an important reaction in fuel cells and metal air batteries, is highly desirable. Moreover, the futuristic catalysts for these applications need to be costeffective in order to ensure a competitive edge for these devices in the energy market. This article describes the synthesis of a cost-effective and efficient electrocatalyst for ORR It is based on supporting CoMn alloy oxide nano particles on N-doped porous graphene through a simple and scalable microwave irradiation method. Microwave irradiation was found to be very crucial for the fast creation of pores in the graphene framework with a concomitant formation of the CoMn alloy oxide nanoparticles. A series of catalysts have been synthesized by varying the Co:Mn ratio, among which, the one with the Co:Mn ratio of 2:1 [designated as CoMn/pNGr(2:1)] displayed remarkably higher ORR activity in 0.1 M KOH solution. It showed a similar to 60 mV potential shift with a low Tafel slope of 74 mV/decade, which is comparable to that derived from the commercial Pt/C catalyst. This high activity of CoMn/pNGr(2:1) has been credited to the cooperative effect arising from the metal entities and the defects present in the N-doped porous graphene. Finally, real system-level validations of the use of CoMn/pNGr(2:1) as cathode catalyst could be performed by fabricating and testing single-cells of an anion-exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) and a primary Zn-air battery, which successfully demonstrated the efficiency of the catalyst to facilitate ORR in real integrated systems of the single-cell assemblies.10aanion-exchange membrane fuel cell10acooperativity effect10amicrowave synthesis10aoxygen reduction reaction10aporous N-doped graphene10aZn-air battery1 aSingh, Santosh, K.1 aKashyap, Varchaswal1 aManna, Narugopal1 aBhange, Siddheshwar, N.1 aSoni, Roby1 aBoukherroub, Rabah1 aSzunerits, Sabine1 aKurungot, Sreekurnar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/efficient-and-durable-oxygen-reduction-electrocatalyst-based-comn-alloy-oxide-nanoparticles02832nas a2200265 4500008004100000022001400041245012000055210006900175260000900244300001400253490000600267520190400273653002502177653001802202653001702220653003102237653003002268653002102298100002102319700002302340700003002363700001702393700002402410856013202434 2021 eng d a2574-096200aZinc-air batteries catalyzed using Co3O4 nanorod-supported N-doped entangled graphene for oxygen reduction reaction0 aZincair batteries catalyzed using Co3O4 nanorodsupported Ndoped  cMAY  a4570-45800 v43 a

The work reported here deals with the development of an efficient non-platinum electrocatalyst for electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) through a sequential pathway involving hydrothermal treatment followed by freeze-drying to build the desired structural architecture of the catalyst. The designed catalyst (Co3O4/nitrogen-doped entangled porous 3D graphene (NEGF)), which contains Co3O4 nanorods anchored on the surface of three-dimensional (3D)-structured N-doped graphene, was found to display higher ORR activity during single-electrode testing and demonstrate a Zn-air battery (ZAB) system. Under the hydrothermal treatment at 180 degrees C, in the presence of ammonia, nitrogen was doped into the carbon framework of graphene, which subsequently formed a self-assembled entangled 3D structure of graphene after freeze-drying. The hydrothermal treatment and freeze-drying processes were found to play vital roles in tuning the morphological and structural features of the catalyst. The doped nitrogen, apart from its favorable contribution toward ORR, helped facilitate efficient dispersion of oxide nanorods on graphene. Co3O4/NEGF displayed remarkable ORR activity in 0.1 M KOH solution, as evident from the 60 mV onset potential shift compared to the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst and the Tafel slope value of 74 mV dec(-1) vs 68 mV dec(-1) for Pt/C. The ZAB fabricated by employing Co3O4/NEGF as the cathode catalyst was found to be an efficient competitor for the system based on the Pt/C cathode. This high performance has been credited to the controlled interplay of the governing factors such as the interfacial interactions leading to the efficient dispersion of metal oxide nanorods, increased catalyst surface area, the cooperative effect arising from the defects present in the N-doped porous 3D graphene, and the synergetic interactions operating in the system.

10acobalt-oxide nanorod10afreeze-drying10ahydrothermal10aN-doped entangled graphene10aoxygen reduction reaction10azinc-air battery1 aManna, Narugopal1 aSingh, Santosh, K.1 aKharabe, Geeta, Pandurang1 aTorris, Arun1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/zinc-air-batteries-catalyzed-using-co3o4-nanorod-supported-n-doped-entangled-graphene-oxygen