TY - JOUR
T1 - Synthesis of unused-wood-derived C-Fe-N catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction by heteroatom doping during hydrothermal carbonization and subsequent carbonization in nitrogen atmosphere
AU - Goto, Yasuto
AU - Nakayasu, Yuta
AU - Abe, Hiroya
AU - Katsuyama, Yuto
AU - Itoh, Takashi
AU - Watanabe, Masaru
N1 - Funding Information:
Authors’ contributions. Y.G. performed the experiments, improved the study design and drafted the Experimental section. Y.N. conceived and designed the study, performed the data analysis and drafted the manuscript. H.A. designed the study, trained Y.G. on performing the experiments and analysing the results of the ORR activity tests, and drafted the section discussing the properties of the ORR catalysts. Y.K. drafted the section that discusses the electrochemical and structural properties of the catalysts. T.I. trained Y.G. on the material characterization techniques and drafted the section that discusses the results of the XRD and Raman analyses. M.W. designed and supervised the study, set up the experimental equipment and edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript. Competing interests. We declare we have no competing interests. Funding. This study was financially supported by the Program for Creation of Interdisciplinary Research, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University. Acknowledgements. We thank Dr Takamichi Miyazaki of the Technical Division, School of Engineering, Tohoku University, for assistance with the TEM and TEM/EDS analyses, and Dr Ryotaro Kumashiro and Dr Takaaki Tomai of Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, for assistance with the N2 adsorption/desorption measurements.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s).
PY - 2021/11/1
Y1 - 2021/11/1
N2 - There is an urgent need to develop renewable sources of energy and use existing resources in an efficient manner. In this study, in order to improve the utilization of unused biomass and develop green processes and sustainable technologies for energy production and storage, unused Douglas fir sawdust (SD) was transformed into catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. Fe and N were doped into SD during hydrothermal carbonization, and the N- and Fe-doped wood-derived carbon (Fe/N/SD) was carbonized in a nitrogen atmosphere. After the catalyst had been calcined at 800°C, its showed the highest current density (-5.86 mAcm -2 at 0.5 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode or RHE) and E onset value (0.913 V versus RHE). Furthermore, its current density was higher than that of Pt/C (20 wt% Pt) (-5.66 mA cm -2 @0.5 V versus RHE). Finally, after 50 000 s, the current density of sample Fe/N/SD (2: 10: 10) remained at 79.3% of the initial value. Thus, the synthesized catalysts, which can be produced readily at a low cost, are suitable for use in various types of energy generation and storage devices, such as fuel cells and air batteries. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bio-derived and bioinspired sustainable advanced materials for emerging technologies (part 2)'.
AB - There is an urgent need to develop renewable sources of energy and use existing resources in an efficient manner. In this study, in order to improve the utilization of unused biomass and develop green processes and sustainable technologies for energy production and storage, unused Douglas fir sawdust (SD) was transformed into catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. Fe and N were doped into SD during hydrothermal carbonization, and the N- and Fe-doped wood-derived carbon (Fe/N/SD) was carbonized in a nitrogen atmosphere. After the catalyst had been calcined at 800°C, its showed the highest current density (-5.86 mAcm -2 at 0.5 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode or RHE) and E onset value (0.913 V versus RHE). Furthermore, its current density was higher than that of Pt/C (20 wt% Pt) (-5.66 mA cm -2 @0.5 V versus RHE). Finally, after 50 000 s, the current density of sample Fe/N/SD (2: 10: 10) remained at 79.3% of the initial value. Thus, the synthesized catalysts, which can be produced readily at a low cost, are suitable for use in various types of energy generation and storage devices, such as fuel cells and air batteries. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bio-derived and bioinspired sustainable advanced materials for emerging technologies (part 2)'.
KW - biomass
KW - carbon
KW - catalysts
KW - energy
KW - hydrothermal
KW - ORR
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U2 - 10.1098/rsta.2020.0348
DO - 10.1098/rsta.2020.0348
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85115848409
SN - 1364-503X
VL - 379
JO - Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
JF - Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
IS - 2209
M1 - 20200348
ER -
