Fabrication of Fe Metals Supported N-doped Porous Carbon Nanocomposites and their Applications as Cathodic Electrocatalysts in Fuel Cell.

• Main Authors: Jyun-Ren Wu, 伍俊任
• Other Authors: Dr. Shou-Heng Liu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/64909166498420898509

碩士 === 國立高雄應用科技大學 === 化學工程與材料工程系 === 99 === Owing to the continuing shortages and increasing costs in fossil fuels and the increasing demands in environmental protection issues, R&D of economical and renewable energy resources are of great importance. Among them, hydrogen energies, wind, nuclear, solar energies have recieved much attentions. In particular, recent R&D of novel nanostructured porous carbons which possess tunable pores, high specific surface area, high structural, hydrothermal and mechanical stabilities and unique adsorptive, electrochemical and catalytic properties, are the most promising candidates for advanced applications in energy-related sectors, for instance, as catalytic supports for fuel cell electrodes. The main purpose of this study is to search for novel synthetic methods to prepare Fe metal incorporated and N doped nanoporous carbons and to evaluate their applications as fuel cell cathodic electrocatalysts, especially focusing on the systematic studies concerning Fe metal complexed with N functional groups. In terms of the material synthesis, Ethylenediamine (EDA) Tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA), and Pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA) were used as nitrogen sources and Fe(III)Cl3 and (NH4)2(Fe(II)SO4)2‧6H2O were used as metal precursors to fabricate Fe metal supported N doped nanoporous carbons (FeNx/XC72 and Fe-NOMC). Various preparation conditions such as different nitrogen sources (EDA, TEPA and PEHA), Fe precursors (Fe(III) and Fe(II)), carbon supports (XC72 and OMC) and heat treatments (25, 600, 800 and 1000 oC) were also investigated and their effects on the oxygen reduction reaction were also evaluated. A variety of different spectroscopic and analytical techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption/desoption isotherm, elemental analysis (EA), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) have been utilized to characterize the physicochemical properties of various materials. The electrochemical properties and catalytic performance of the fuel cell cathode electrocatalysts during oxygen reduction reaction were also evaluated by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The results obtained from present study should not only enhance our knowledge on the preparation of Fe metal catalysts supported on N-doped porous carbons and their fundamental physicochemical properties, but also their applications as electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) as well as their catalytic performances during oxygen reduction reaction. The enhancement of catalytic activity of the cathode electrocatalysts, reduction of the catalyst fabrication costs, and applicability for commercialization were anticipated.