Published January 4, 2022 | Version v1

10.1039/d1ta09560a

Description

Single-atom catalysts, in particular the Fe–N–C family of materials, have emerged as a promising alternative to platinum group metals in fuel cells as catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. Numerous theoretical studies have suggested that dual atom catalysts can appreciably accelerate catalytic reactions; nevertheless, the synthesis of these materials is highly challenging owing to metal atom clustering and aggregation into nanoparticles during high temperature synthesis treatment. In this work, dual metal atom catalysts are prepared by controlled post synthetic metal-coordination in a C2N-like material. The configuration of the active sites was confirmed by means of X-ray adsorption spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. During oxygen reduction, the catalyst exhibited an activity of 2.4 ± 0.3 A gcarbon−1 at 0.8 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode in acidic media, comparable to the most active in the literature. This work provides a novel approach for the targeted synthesis of catalysts containing dual metal sites in electrocatalysis.

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Funding

European Commission
DimerCat - DimerCat: Isolated dimers for catalyzing CO2 electroreduction to higher carbon products 896637
European Commission
HAEMOGLOBIN - From biomass to catalysts and chemicals: exploiting blood and food waste towards high-value products. 892614
European Commission
ESRS-EMS for CO2RR - Mechanistic Studies of Catalytic Activity in Electrochemical CO2 Reduction Reaction by Operando Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Coupled with Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry 897014