Synergistic Effect of Perovskites and Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Hybrid Materials for Improving Oxygen Reduction Reaction

A fundamental understanding of the electrochemical behavior of hybrid perovskite and nitrogen-doped (N-doped) carbon is essential for the development of perovskite-based electrocatalysts in various sustainable energy device applications. In particular, the selection and modification of suitable carbon support are important for enhancing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of non-platinum group metal electrocatalysts in fuel cells. Herein, we address hybrid materials composed of three representative N-doped carbon supports (BP-2000, Vulcan XC-72 and P-CNF) with valid surface areas and different series of single, double and triple perovskites: Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co 0.8 Fe 0.2 O 3−δ (BSCF), (Pr 0.5 Ba 0.5 )CoO 3−δ (PBCO), and Nd 1.5 Ba 1.5 CoFeMnO 9−δ (NBCFM), respectively. The combination of NBCFM and N-doped BP-2000 produces a half-wave potential of 0.74 V and a current density of 5.42 mA cm − 2 at 0.5 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, comparable to those of the commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst (0.76 V, 5.21 mA cm − 2 ). Physicochemical and electrochemical investigations indicate that carbon successfully overcomes the insulating properties of perovskite. Simultaneously, N-doped carbon is essential to accelerate the ORR performance of hybrid perovskite-carbon materials.