Electrochemical properties of cobalt-containing composites in oxygen reduction reaction.

Анотація

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on fuel cell cathode requires significant overpotential, and for this reason it occurs at E much lower than thermodynamically-equilibrium value 1.23 V. This overpotential is traditionally reduced with a help of catalysts, that contain noble metals, in particular platinum. High price and limited resources of Pt, along with its possible deactivation by fuel oxidation products in fuel cell, are the reasons for search and development of new efficient and stable ORR electrocatalysts, which do not contain noble metals. Among platinumfree systems, proposed up to date, so-called Me-N-C catalysts (where Me = Fe and/or Co) are among the most promising and they are considered as possible materials for platinum replacement in fuel cells. Such catalysts are usually prepared by high-temperature treatment of different compounds, which contain metals, nitrogen and carbon.