Carbon based electrocatalysts

Abstract

Electrochemical energy conversion technologies, such as polymer electrolyte fuel cells, Direct Methanol fuel cells and metal-air batteries are of supreme significance to attain sustainable energy for future use. Nanocomposite materials have fast emerged as promising candidates as a replacement to commercial and state-of-the-art electrocatalysts. They show remarkably increasing progress in electrocatalysis including oxygen evolution, oxygen reduction, CO2 reduction, hydrogen evolution etc. Carbon support with high surface area provides better utilization of the electrocatalysts to escalate its activity. Electrocatalysis has been the subject of growing interest for many concerned people as it caters to the escalating needs of fuel production. Researchers and manufacturers are keen to cash in the burgeoning demand of nanocomposite based electrocatalyst materials and devices as they exhibit distinctive surface/size-dependent and simplistic tunable structures which are pivotal for the performance of electrocatalysis process. Regulation and modulation of electronic properties is realizable through adaption of various surface chemistry techniques. This chapter gives an insight to the application of nanocomposite materials in electrocatalysis and their properties which gives perspective to probe further in this rising field of research to expand scientific understanding and build upon the current body of work.