Effect of carbon precursor and initial pH on cobalt-doped carbon xerogel for oxygen reduction |
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Authors: | Azim Fitri Zainul Abidin Kee Shyuan Loh Wai Yin Wong Abu Bakar Mohamad Ifa Puspasari |
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Affiliation: | 1. Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia;2. Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia;3. Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitas Islam Indonesia JI Kaliurang KM 14, 5 Sleman, Yogyakarta 55584, Indonesia |
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Abstract: | In this study, cobalt-doped carbon xerogel (Co-CX) was synthesised via sol-gel polymerisation of phenolic compounds (i.e., resorcinol, phenol and m-cresol) and formaldehyde, and this polymerisation was catalysed by cobalt nitrate and followed by a carbonisation process. The effect of the initial pH value (5.5, 6.5 and 7.5) as well as the type of carbon precursors on the structural properties of Co-CX was investigated via field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The catalytic activity of Co-CX for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 0.1 M KOH was studied using a rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) technique. The structural properties and ORR activities were affected by different initial pH values as well as the type of carbon precursor. A carbon precursor consisting of resorcinol-formaldehyde with an initial pH value of 7.5 exhibited the best catalytic activity. The initial pH plays an important role in promoting micro/mesopores. The FESEM and BET results revealed that Co doping promotes the formation of additional pores. The RRDE result indicated that Co-CX exhibited good catalytic activity that tends to favour a four-electron pathway. |
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Keywords: | Carbon xerogel Cobalt doping Oxygen reduction reaction Catalyst |
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