Insights into the electrocatalytic behavior of nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon nanotubes toward oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media

• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-022-07653-3
• Publication Date: 2022-09-04T18:02:32Z
• Authors: Gutru Rambabu; Zarina Turtayeva; Feina Xu; Gael Maranzana; Mélanie Emo; Sébastien Hupont; Mohamed Mamlouk; Alexandre Desforges; Brigitte Vigolo
• Keywords: Linear sweep voltammetry; Rotating disk electrode

Abstract This study examines the effect of pretreatment and doping to enhance ORR activity multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Melamine thio-urea are chosen as precursors for mono co-doping, respectively. A series samples with pristine pretreated CNTs prepared characterized physicochemically by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) transmission electron microscopy (TEM) electrochemically cyclic voltammetry (CV) linear sweep (LSV). The obtained results show that co-doping is an effective way improving activity, due synergistic N S changing charge spin density, Moreover, favors proportion pyridinic graphitic nitrogen configurations within doped samples. As a consequence, our synthesis method gives superior activity. maximum NS-OX-CNTs which shows over potential 0.95 V vs RHE at 0.1 mA/cm 2 , comparable Pt/C (0.98 RHE). transfer number (n) calculated 3.9 0.4 suggests proceeds through dominant 4 e − path. These half-cell pave further testing cathode materials anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFC). Graphical abstract