Nitrogen, cobalt-codoped carbon electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction using soy milk and cobalt salts as precursors

Nitrogen and cobalt codoped carbon electrocatalyst using soy milk and cobalt salts as precursors has been examined for its electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Carbon dots (C-d) were first synthesized via hydrothermal treatment of soy milk. Then, cobalt (II) nitrate was incorporated with C-d via heat treatment to generate nitrogen and cobalt codoped carbon composites (Co/C). When polypyrrole was introduced in the synthetic process, carbon composites with higher nitrogen and cobalt contents (Co/N/C) than Co/C were obtained, which exhibited high electrocatalytic activity, excellent methanol crossover effect, and good stability toward ORR in alkaline solutions. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.