Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Davis, Danae J
• Lambert, Timothy N
• Vigil, Julian A
• Rodriguez, Mark A
• Brumbach, Michael T
• Coker, Eric N
• Limmer, Steven J

Titel

Role of Cu-Ion Doping in Cu-α-MnO2 Nanowire Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Ist Teil von

• Journal of physical chemistry. C, 2014-08, Vol.118 (31), p.17342-17350

Ort / Verlag

United States: American Chemical Society

Erscheinungsjahr

2014

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The role of Cu-ion doping in α-MnO2 electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline electrolyte was investigated. Cu-doped α-MnO2 nanowires (Cu-α-MnO2) were prepared with varying amounts (up to ∼3%) of Cu2+ using a hydrothermal method. The electrocatalytic data indicate that Cu-α-MnO2 nanowires have up to 74% higher terminal current densities, 2.5 times enhanced kinetic rate constants, and 66% lower charge transfer resistances that trend with Cu content, exceeding values attained by α-MnO2 alone. The observed improvement in catalytic behavior correlates with an increase in Mn3+ content at the surface of the Cu-α-MnO2 nanowires. The Mn3+/Mn4+ couple is the mediator for the rate-limiting redox-driven O2/OH– exchange. O2 adsorbs via an axial site (the eg orbital on the Mn3+ d4 ion) at the surface or at edge defects of the nanowire, and the increase in covalent nature of the nanowire with Cu-ion doping leads to stabilization of O2 adsorbates and faster rates of reduction. A smaller crystallite size (roughly half) for Cu-α-MnO2 leading to a higher density of (catalytic) edge defect sites was also observed. This work is applicable to other manganese oxide electrocatalysts and shows for the first time there is a correlation for manganese oxides between electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline electrolyte and an increase in Mn3+ character at the surface of the oxide.