Uniform Multilayer Graphene-Coated Iron and Iron-Carbide as Oxygen Reduction Catalyst

The industrialization of fuel cells is coming. Non-noble metals with carbonaceous coatings, as cathodic catalysts for fuel cells, expected to replace platinum for catalyzing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), have attracted the attention of researchers. This is mainly due to the low price, easy availability, high stability, and gratifying catalytic activity of these materials. However, the high density and uniform dispersion of coated particles still face a challenge. In view of this, we prepared Fe3C/Fe@G catalysts with a structure of nitrogen-doped multilayer graphene uniformly coated on iron and iron carbide (Fe3C/Fe) in a very simple way. The half wave potential of Fe3C/Fe@G-800 is comparable to that of commercial Pt/C, and it also highlights the excellent stability that is a benefit of the complete coating of graphene layers to internal particles; highly dispersed Fe3C/Fe nanoparticles with small size in the graphene layer; the equilibrium degree of graphitization and the defect density.