Graphene Oxide Sheathed ZIF-8 Microcrystals: Engineered Precursors of Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) Electrocatalysis

Thomas, M. and Illathvalappil, R. and Kurungot, S. and Nair, B. and Mohamed, A. and Anilkumar, G. and Yamaguchi, T. et al. 2016. Graphene Oxide Sheathed ZIF-8 Microcrystals: Engineered Precursors of Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) Electrocatalysis. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces. 8 (43): pp. 29373-29382.

Source Title

ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

DOI

10.1021/acsami.6b06979

ISSN

1944-8244

School

Nanochemistry Research Institute

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42449

Collection

Curtin Research Publications

Abstract

© 2016 American Chemical Society.Nitrogen containing mesoporous carbon obtained by the pyrolysis of graphene oxide (GO) wrapped ZIF-8 (Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks-8) micro crystals is demonstrated to be an efficient catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). ZIF-8 synthesis in the presence of GO sheets helped to realize layers of graphene oxide over ZIF-8 microcrystals and the sphere-like structures thus obtained, on heat treatment, transformed to highly porous carbon with a nitrogen content of about 6.12% and surface area of 502 m2/g. These catalysts with a typical micromeso porous architecture exhibited an onset potential of 0.88Vvs RHE in a four electron pathway and also demonstrated superior durability in alkaline medium compared to that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst. The N-doped porous carbon derived from GO sheathed ZIF-8 core-shell structures could therefore be employed as an efficient electrocatalyst for fuel cell applications.