Effect of N-Doped Graphene for Properties of Pt/N-Doped Graphene Catalyst

Abstract

Nitrogen doping into graphene was carried out by heating Graphene Nano Sheets (GNS) in ammonia to produce N-doped graphene (N G). The N G was used as a support material for Pt catalyst as well as a catalyst itself for half-cell cathode reaction of hydrogen fuel cell (H2FC). It is found that the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) electro catalytic activity for N G 900 (0.63 V versus RHE) is higher than GNS. It indicates that the incorporation of nitrogen in N G may affect the ORR activities. XPS results exhibit the pyridinic N is the majority in N G, where the pyridinic N refers to N atom bonds with two C atoms at the edges or defects of graphene. Interestingly, the Pt subnanoclusters were formed on all of Pt/N G catalysts with Pt particle size (0.7–1.0 nm). It clearly indicates that the doping of nitrogen significantly influence p–d hybridization in terms of electronic structures.