Electronic Configuration Regulation by N‐Doped MXenes Boosting Electrocatalytic Performance of Cobalt Phthalocyanine

Cobalt phthalocyanine was supported on N-doped MXene via axial coordination and π-π stacking. The formed axial coordination configuration N−Co−N₄ can effectively break the planar structure of Co-N₄ and enhance the oxygen reduction performance with an E_1/2 of 0.863 V, which is better than the 20 wt.% Pt/C catalyst of 0.85 V.

Abstract

The precise control of electronic configurations of catalytic sites via molecular engineering is significantly desirable for boosting electrocatalytic activity. We reported a new-type composite electrocatalyst with cobalt phthalocyanine supported on N-doped MXene nanosheets (N-MXene/CoPc) through a self-assembly process. Beneficial from the joint action of N sites participation and axial coordination, N-MXene/CoPc exhibits a high ORR activity with positive onset potential (E_onset=0.98 V vs. RHE) and half-wave potential (E_1/2=0.863 V), which is superior over the pristine CoPc (E_1/2=0.72 V) and the composite with undoped MXene as support (MXene/CoPc, E_1/2=0.771 V). Additionally, N-MXene/CoPc exhibits an excellent durability with only 8.5 % attenuation after 25000 s of continuous i-t test, while a more obvious decay 18.6 % for 20 wt.% Pt/C. This work not merely reported a robust ORR catalyst, but more provides a reasonable design strategy for nonnoble-metal catalysts through catalyst-support interactions.

Zum Volltext