Abstract
The most vital component of the fuel cells and metal–air batteries is the electrocatalyst, which can facilitate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at a significantly reduced overpotential. The present work deals with the development of surface-tuned cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles dispersed on nitrogen-doped graphene as a potential ORR electrocatalyst possessing some unique advantages. The thermally reduced nitrogen-doped graphene (NGr) was decorated with three different morphologies of Co3O4 nanoparticles, viz., cubic, blunt edged cubic, and spherical, by using a simple hydrothermal method. We found that the spherical Co3O4 nanoparticle supported NGr catalyst (Co3O4–SP/NGr-24h) has acquired a significant activity makeover to display the ORR activity closely matching with the state-of-the-art Pt supported carbon (PtC) catalyst in alkaline medium. Subsequently, the Co3O4–SP/NGr-24h catalyst has been utilized as the air electrode in a Zn–air battery, which was found to show comparable performance to the...
Funding Information
  • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSC 0122)

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