Influence of Transition Metal on Oxygen Reduction Activity of Metal-Nitrogen-Carbon Electrocatalyst

Abstract

Iron-based metal nitrogen carbon (MNC) catalysts are produced by high-pressure pyrolysis of carbon and melamine with varying amounts of iron acetate in a closed, constant-volume reactor. The optimum amount of Fe (1.2 wt%) in MNC catalysts is established through oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) polarization. The amount of Fe retained in MNC catalysts after leaching is determined from UV-Vis spectroscopy. MNC catalysts are also prepared in the absence of one of the reaction constituents, particularly the nitrogen and iron sources, to understand the ORR active sites.