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High-Performance Manganese Nanoparticles on Reduced Graphene Oxide for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

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Abstract

Non-noble-metal nanostructure materials represent an emerging class of electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells, but their applications have been limited by catalytic activity and durability. Herein the composite of manganese oxide nanoparticle supported on reduced graphene oxide (Mn3O4/rGO) was synthesized via a simple circulation reflux method with oxide graphene and MnCl2·4H2O as precursors. The Mn3O4/rGO sample exhibited high ORR activity with a positive onset potential of −0.12 V (vs. SCE) and high limiting current of 4 mA/cm2 (close to that of 20 % Pt/C, −0.09 V; 3.9 mA/cm2). Moreover, the durability and tolerance to methanol of as-prepared products are compared with commercial 20 % Pt/C. The results showed that Mn3O4 supported on rGO displays promising stability characteristics for applications as oxygen catalysts.

Graphical Abstract

When it comes to the reaction theory for ORR pathway, the Mn3+/Mn4+ center metal ion and O2 ligand are involved, and the four-step principle is shown in the follow figure. In this study, methods to further increase the catalytic activity of Mn3O4 were created by increasing conductivity compared with rGO, hence the improvement of unpaired e.g. electron transfer to the O–O π* orbital during ORR.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21461024, 21271151), Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Xinjiang Province for Fostering Outstanding Youth in Technological Innovation (No. 2014721006), Scientific Research Program of the Higher Education Institution of Xinjiang (No. XJEDU2014I008), the Technological Innovation Youth Training Project of Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China (No. 2014711004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Material and Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Materials, Autonomous Region, Institute of Applied Chemistry, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, 830046, Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Ying Su, Hui Chai, Zhipeng Sun, Ting Liu & Dianzeng Jia

  2. College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, Xinjiang, People’s Republic of China

    Wanyong Zhou

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  1. Ying Su
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  2. Hui Chai
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  3. Zhipeng Sun
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  4. Ting Liu
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  5. Dianzeng Jia
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Correspondence to Hui Chai or Dianzeng Jia.

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Su, Y., Chai, H., Sun, Z. et al. High-Performance Manganese Nanoparticles on Reduced Graphene Oxide for Oxygen Reduction Reaction. Catal Lett 146, 1019–1026 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10562-016-1719-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10562-016-1719-4

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