Catalytic Synthesis of Neutral Hydrogen Peroxide at a CoN2Cx Cathode of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)

Peroxide production: Electrocatalysts of CoCl2(ligand)/XC-72 heat-treated in He at 973 K are examined. N-bidentate ligands of 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2′-bipyridine are efficient for the formation of neutral H2O2 at 278 K. It is proposed that Co on a bidentate N-coordination site at the carbon surface (CoN2Cx) is the active site for O2 reduction and H2O2 formation.