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Zhang W, Meeus EJ, Wang L, Zhang LH, Yang S, de Bruin B, Reek JNH, Yu F. Boosting Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction Performance of Iron Phthalocyanine through Axial Coordination Sphere Interaction. CHEMSUSCHEM 2022; 15:e202102379. [PMID: 34904388 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202102379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Precise regulation of the electronic states of catalytic sites through molecular engineering is highly desired to boost catalytic performance. Herein, a facile strategy was developed to synthesize efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts, based on mononuclear iron phthalocyanine supported on commercially available multi-walled carbon nanotubes that contain electron-donating functional groups (FePc/CNT-R, with "R" being -NH2 , -OH, or -COOH). These functional groups acted as axial ligands that coordinated to the Fe site, confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and synchrotron-radiation-based X-ray absorption fine structure. Experimental results showed that FePc/CNT-NH2 , with the most electron-donating -NH2 axial ligand, exhibited the highest ORR activity with a positive onset potential (Eonset =1.0 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode) and half-wave potential (E1/2 =0.92 V). This was better than the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst (Eonset =1.00 V and E1/2 =0.85 V) under the same conditions. Overall, the functionalized FePc/CNT-R assemblies showed enhanced ORR performance in comparison to the non-functionalized FePc/CNT assembly. The origin of this behavior was investigated using density functional theory calculations, which demonstrated that the coordination of electron-donating groups to FePc facilitated the adsorption and activation of oxygen. This study not only demonstrates a series of advanced ORR electrocatalysts, but also introduces a feasible strategy for the rational design of highly active electrocatalysts for other proton-coupled electron transfer reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenlin Zhang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, P. R. China
| | - Eva J Meeus
- Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam (The, Netherlands
| | - Lei Wang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, P. R. China
| | - Lu-Hua Zhang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, P. R. China
| | - Shuangcheng Yang
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, P. R. China
| | - Bas de Bruin
- Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam (The, Netherlands
| | - Joost N H Reek
- Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam (The, Netherlands
| | - Fengshou Yu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Energy Conservation in Chemical Process Integration and Resources Utilization, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, P. R. China
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