%0 Journal Article
%T Nitrogen and Cobalt Co-Coped Carbon Materials Derived from Biomass Chitin as High-Performance Electrocatalyst for Aluminum-Air Batteries
%J Catalysts | An Open Access Journal from MDPI
%D 2019
%R https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9110954
%X Development of convenient, economic electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline medium is of great significance to practical applications of aluminum-air batteries. Herein, a biomass chitin-derived carbon material with high ORR activities has been prepared and applied as electrocatalysts in Al-air batteries. The obtained cobalt, nitrogen co-doped carbon material (CoNC) exhibits the positive onset potential 0.86 V vs. RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode) and high-limiting current density 5.94 mA cm £¿2. Additionally, the durability of the CoNC material in alkaline electrolyte shows better stability when compared to the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Furthermore, the Al-air battery using CoNC as an air cathode catalyst provides the power density of 32.24 mW cm £¿2 and remains the constant discharge voltage of 1.17 V at 20 mA cm £¿2. This work not only provides a facile method to synthesize low-cost and efficient ORR electrocatalysts for Al-air batteries, but also paves a new way to explore and utilize high-valued biomass materials. View Full-Tex
%U https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/9/11/954