Abstract
We report remarkable metal-free electrocatalytic activities of the imidazolium salt-functionalized ionic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (IM-f-MWCNTs) in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The electrocatalytic activity can be attributed to the induced polarization of the π-electrons of CNTs, thus accelerating interfacial electron transfer. The zwitterionic MWCNTs functionalized with poly(vinylimidazolium sulfonate) have a more positive surface charge and exhibit a better electrocatalytic activity than the poly(vinylbutylimidazolium chloride)-functionalized MWCNTs. The IM-f-MWCNTs showed better fuel selectivity than the commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 232-237 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Chemistry - An Asian Journal |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 2013 |
Keywords
- carbon nanotubes
- electrocatalysts
- ionic liquids
- metal-free
- oxygen reduction