Effects of Pyrrole Polymerizing Oxidant on the Properties of Pyrolysed Carbon-Supported Cobalt-Polypyrrole as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

A series of pyrolysed carbon-supported polypyrrole-cobalt, Co-PPy-TsOH/C, have been synthesized as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with chemically polymerized polypyrrole using different oxidants. The effects of pyrrole polymerizing oxidants on electrocatalytic performance of the final catalysts toward ORR have been comparatively investigated, and the results have been discussed and analyzed with the help of physicochemical characterizations. It's shown that the pyrrole polymerizing oxidants have essential influence on the structure, morphology as well as chemical states of cobalt and nitrogen in the Co-PPy-TsOH/C catalysts, leading to distinct catalytic performance for ORR. In addition, the role of cobalt and nitrogen in catalytic active sites in the catalysts has also been discussed. (C) 2013 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.