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Article

Nitrogen- and Fluorine-Doped Carbon Nanohorns as Efficient Metal-Free Oxygen Reduction Catalyst: Role of the Nitrogen Groups

by
Elisa Tosin
1,
Teresa Gatti
1,2,
Stefano Agnoli
1,
Laura Calvillo
1,* and
Enzo Menna
1,3,*
1
Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padua, Via Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
2
Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
3
Interdepartmental Centre Giorgio Levi Cases for Energy Economics and Technology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Surfaces 2023, 6(3), 227-238; https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces6030015
Submission received: 12 May 2023 / Revised: 28 June 2023 / Accepted: 6 July 2023 / Published: 8 July 2023
(This article belongs to the Collection Featured Articles for Surfaces)
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Abstract

The search of active, stable and low costs catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for the extensive use of fuel cells and metal–air batteries. The development of metal-free catalysts, instead of platinum-based materials, can dramatically reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of these devices. In this work, carbon nanohorns (CNHs) have been covalently functionalized with N-containing heterocycles by the Tour reaction protocol and tested as metal-free ORR catalysts. The insertion of N-functionalities favored the complete reduction of oxygen to hydroxyl ions, while their absence favored the production of hydrogen peroxide. With the aim of determining the N-species responsible for the ORR activity of CNHs, photoemission and electrochemical measurements were combined. Results suggest that protonated N is the main species involved in the ORR process, facilitating the adsorption of oxygen, with their consequent reduction to neutral hydrogenated N species.
Keywords: carbon nanohorns; nitrogen groups; oxygen reduction reaction; in line XPS carbon nanohorns; nitrogen groups; oxygen reduction reaction; in line XPS
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MDPI and ACS Style

Tosin, E.; Gatti, T.; Agnoli, S.; Calvillo, L.; Menna, E. Nitrogen- and Fluorine-Doped Carbon Nanohorns as Efficient Metal-Free Oxygen Reduction Catalyst: Role of the Nitrogen Groups. Surfaces 2023, 6, 227-238. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces6030015

AMA Style

Tosin E, Gatti T, Agnoli S, Calvillo L, Menna E. Nitrogen- and Fluorine-Doped Carbon Nanohorns as Efficient Metal-Free Oxygen Reduction Catalyst: Role of the Nitrogen Groups. Surfaces. 2023; 6(3):227-238. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces6030015

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tosin, Elisa, Teresa Gatti, Stefano Agnoli, Laura Calvillo, and Enzo Menna. 2023. "Nitrogen- and Fluorine-Doped Carbon Nanohorns as Efficient Metal-Free Oxygen Reduction Catalyst: Role of the Nitrogen Groups" Surfaces 6, no. 3: 227-238. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces6030015

APA Style

Tosin, E., Gatti, T., Agnoli, S., Calvillo, L., & Menna, E. (2023). Nitrogen- and Fluorine-Doped Carbon Nanohorns as Efficient Metal-Free Oxygen Reduction Catalyst: Role of the Nitrogen Groups. Surfaces, 6(3), 227-238. https://doi.org/10.3390/surfaces6030015

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