Nitrogen-doped Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes-MnCo 2 O 4 microsphere as electrocatalyst for efficient oxygen reduction reaction

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.06.115
• Publication Date: 2016-07-29T05:20:15Z
• Authors: S. Yuvaraj; A. Vignesh; S. Shanmugam; R. Kalai Selvan
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 7. Clean energy

Abstract Nitrogen-doped Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (N-doped MWCNT)/MnCo 2 O 4 hybrid is synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed the single phase formation of cubic spinel structured MnCo 2 O 4 and their composites. The presence of D and G band of MWCNT is identified through Raman spectral analysis. The elemental oxidation state and nitrogen content is obtained using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which elucidates that Co and Mn exists in multivalence state and the nitrogen functional groups are in pyrolytic and pyridinic-type. FE-SEM shows the microsphere formation of MnCo 2 O 4 and size exhibits in the range of 6–9 μm. The N-doped MWCNT/MnCo 2 O 4 hybrid catalyst exhibits an improved oxygen reduction electrocatalytic activity in an aqueous alkaline medium when compared with pristine MnCo 2 O 4 .