Facile construction of manganese oxide doped carbon nanotube catalysts with high activity for oxygen reduction reaction and investigations into the origin of their activity enhancement

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2011 Jul;3(7):2601-6. doi: 10.1021/am200426q. Epub 2011 Jul 7.

Abstract

MnOx-doped carbon nanotube (MnOx-CNTs) catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were fabricated using a simple electrochemical deposition method. MnOx-CNTs (0.85 wt % MnOx) could exhibit an improved electrocatalytic activity, long-term stability and excellent resistance to crossover-effect compared to Pt/C catalysts. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction analysis confirm that the MnOx in the MnOx-CNTs exists in an amorphous state. Moreover, compared to the catalytic performances of MnOx on other substrates, the MnOx-CNTs exhibit a high ORR activity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results suggest that the electron transfer, from the CNTs to the Mn ions occurs and the high positive charge is generated on the MnOx-CNT surface. This is believed to be origin of the catalytic activity observed in the ORR using MnOx-CNTs.