Multifunctional High-Performance Electrocatalytic Properties of Nb2O5 Incorporated Carbon Nanofibers as Pt Support Catalyst

Designing an electrocatalyst by integrating multiple classes of materials is an effective strategy for reinforcing the electrode properties. This study demonstrates a facile electrospinning technique for functionalizing the carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with Nb2O5 co-catalyst as the support material for platinum nanoparticles. The resultant Nb CNF-Pt electrode has a sensible Pt loading of 30 mu g cm(-2) and manifests high catalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The Nb CNF-Pt outperforms the commercial 20 wt% Pt loaded carbon with high positive onset potential (0.99 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and half-wave potential (0.87 V vs RHE) during ORR. It also provides large electrochemical active surface area (94.19 m(2) g(-1)) and mass activity (783.34 mA mg(-1)) during MOR. Furthermore, the Nb CNF-Pt electrode demands an extremely minimal overpotential of 37 and 325 mV and a Tafel slope of 38 and 81 mV dec(-1) for HER and OER, respectively. The enhanced electrocatalytic activity of Nb CNF-Pt is attributed to the strong metal-support interaction between Nb2O5 and Pt, resulting in a uniform loading of Pt NPs with reduced particle size and agglomeration-free distribution.