Dual-doped carbon composite for efficient oxygen reduction via electrospinning and incipient impregnation

This paper describes the preparation, characterization, and electrochemical properties of a porous dual-doped carbon composite. The composite is prepared by electrospinning of polyacrylonitrile solution with graphene oxide, and then incipient impregnating with Fe(NO3)(3) solution followed by calcination in N-2 atmosphere. The structure and composition of the composite are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Under the optimal conditions, the resultant composite modified electrode exhibits excellent tolerance of methanol crossover, high current density (5.30 and 6.04 mA cm(-2) in alkaline and acidic solutions) and good durability (similar to 92.3% and 79.4% after 10,000 s in alkaline and acidic solutions, respectively) toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Remarkably, the modified electrode displays a four-electron transfer process for ORR. These above excellent electrocatalytic activity of the composite should be attributed to the synergistic effect of planar-N (pyridinic and pyrrolic N), Fe-containing nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.