Metallic Carbonitrides and Nanoestructured Carbon Composites as Non-noble Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

• Grant number: 16/06197-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: June 01, 2016
• End date: May 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Henrique Barros de Lima
• Grantee: Nelson Alexandre Galiote Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/16930-7 - Electrocatalysis V: electrocatalytic processes of chemical and electrical energy interconversion, AP.TEM

Abstract

The development of high efficiency devices for energy conversion is a technological urge, nowadays on the world scenario, in order to develop a sustainable society based on non-pollutant and trustable energy sources. In according to this context, electrochemical devices such as hydrogen fuel cells or direct liquid fuels as alcohols or formic acid/formate ions, appears highlighted as a good alternative due to the high efficiency on energy conversion. However, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is the bottleneck barrier for these systems limiting the energy efficiency for application due to sluggish kinetics and large overpotentials. Currently, the best electrocatalytic performance for ORR is usually obtained with materials based in precious metals such as platinum and palladium, increasing the device costs. Besides, theses noble catalysts suffer from instabilities during long operation times. In this way, there is a need to develop alternative electrocatalyst based in non-precious materials such transition metals oxides, carbides or nitrides, offering high electrocatalytic activities and high stability for ORR. Therefore, this project aims on synthesis and investigation of materials based on molybdenum carbonitrides and nitrogen and iron doped carbon composites that fit these conditions and are suitable for apply as cathodes of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC).

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GALIOTE, N. A.; OLIVEIRA, F. E. R.; LIMA, F. H. B.. FeCo-N-C oxygen reduction electrocatalysts: Activity of the different compounds produced during the synthesis via pyrolysis. APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL, v. 253, p. 300-308, SEP 15 2019. (13/16930-7, 16/06197-9, 16/13323-0)

OLIVEIRA, FRANCISCA E. R.; GALIOTE, NELSON A.; LIMA, FABIO H. B.. Investigation of Earth-Abundant Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts for the Cathode of Passive Air-Breathing Direct Formate Fuel Cells. CATALYSTS, v. 8, n. 8, AUG 2018. (13/16930-7, 16/06197-9, 16/13323-0)