Highly efficient nitrogen-doped carbide-derived carbon materials for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media

In this work, a novel type of nitrogen-doped carbide-derived carbon (N-CDC) catalysts is synthesized and their activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is investigated. Two different methods of preparation of N-CDC materials are compared: chlorination of titanium carbonitride and pyrolysis in the presence of a nitrogen-containing compound (dicyandiamide) of pre-chlorinated titanium carbide. The obtained catalysts are tested for ORR activity in 0.1 M KOH solution using the rotating disk electrode method along with their stability during 1000 cycles and compared to a commercial Pt/C catalyst. The surface morphology is investigated using scanning electron microscopy and the bulk composition with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface composition of the catalyst materials is analyzed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the structure with X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The porosity of N-CDC materials is described with N2 physisorption. The dicyandiamide-derived N-doped CDC material showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for ORR in alkaline media. This N-CDC catalyst could be considered as a promising cathode material in alkaline fuel cells.