Activated carbon becomes active for oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution reactions

Xuecheng Yan; Yi Jia; Taiwo Odedairo; Xiaojun Zhao; Zhao Jin; Zhonghua Zhu; Xiangdong Yao

doi:10.1039/c6cc03687b

Activated carbon becomes active for oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution reactions

Chem Commun (Camb). 2016 Jun 21;52(52):8156-9. doi: 10.1039/c6cc03687b.

Authors

Xuecheng Yan¹, Yi Jia¹, Taiwo Odedairo², Xiaojun Zhao¹, Zhao Jin¹, Zhonghua Zhu², Xiangdong Yao³

Affiliations

¹ Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, QLD 4111, Australia. [email protected].
² School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.
³ Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, QLD 4111, Australia. [email protected] and School of Natural Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, QLD 4111, Australia.

PMID: 27277286
DOI: 10.1039/c6cc03687b

Abstract

We utilized a facile method for creating unique defects in the activated carbon (AC), which makes it highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The ORR activity of the defective AC (D-AC) is comparable to the commercial Pt/C in alkaline medium, and the D-AC also exhibits excellent HER activity in acidic solution.