Highly active iron-nitrogen-boron-carbon bifunctional electrocatalytic platform for hydrogen peroxide sensing and oxygen reduction

An iron-nitrogen-boron-carbon (Fe-N-B-C) bifunctional electrocatalyst was prepared by means of a facile one-step hydrothermal reduction of graphene oxide using dimethylamine borane as doping agent. In addition, hemins were efficiently anchored during doping/reducing process on this modified graphene. The as-prepared Fe-N-B-C electro-catalyst showed enhanced response as regards its potential for reduction of H2O2 and O-2. In view of its catalytic activity, this Fe-N-B-C material was tested for the determination of H2O2 with a chronoamperometry method, obtaining a detection limit as low as 0.055 mu M, which is better than that of some Hemin-N-C materials. Regarding O-2 reduction reaction, a study performed using a rotating disk electrode indicated that this material exhibits a positive onset potential (0.90V vs. RHE), high selectivity (4e(-) process), high limiting-current density (4.75 mA cm(-2)) and strong resistance against the crossover-effect from methanol in alkaline medium, making it to be the promising candidate as alternative for commercial Pt/C catalysts. These results could have commercial and environmental relevance and would deserve further complementary investigation.

Automated summary

A Fe-N-B-C bifunctional electrocatalyst was prepared by hydrothermal reduction of graphene oxide, showing enhanced response in potential for reduction of H2O2 and O-2. The material exhibited promising properties for commercial and environmental applications, such as a low detection limit for H2O2 and high selectivity and resistance to methanol crossover in O-2 reduction.