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Effect of oxidizing treatment on electrocatalytic activity of boron-doped amorphous carbon thin films

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Abstract

Boron-doped amorphous carbon (BDAC) thin films with a regular oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activity were synthesized in a hot filament chemical vapor deposition device using a mixture of CH4 and H2 as a gas source and B2O3 as a boron source and then oxidized in air at 380–470 °C for 15–75 min. Scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical tests were used to characterize the physical and electrochemical properties of the BDAC catalysts. It was concluded that the BDAC catalyst oxidized at 450 °C for 45 min showed the best ORR catalytic activity in alkaline medium. The oxygen reduction potential and the transfer electron number n, respectively, are − 0.286 V versus Ag/AgCl and 3.24 from the rotating disk electrode experiments. The treated carbon film has better methanol resistance and stability than the commercial Pt/C catalyst.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFB0101206), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (DUT17ZD101), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 51171033).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams (Ministry of Education), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China

    Chen-Song Wang, Ni Suo, Hao Huang, Ai-min Wu, Guo-Zhong Cao & Gui-Feng Zhang

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Guo-Zhong Cao

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  1. Chen-Song Wang
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  2. Ni Suo
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  3. Hao Huang
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  4. Ai-min Wu
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  5. Guo-Zhong Cao
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  6. Gui-Feng Zhang
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Correspondence to Gui-Feng Zhang.

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Wang, CS., Suo, N., Huang, H. et al. Effect of oxidizing treatment on electrocatalytic activity of boron-doped amorphous carbon thin films. Carbon Lett. 29, 487–495 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-019-00053-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42823-019-00053-9

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