Metal-free electrocatalysts

Jeon I-Y, Choi H-J, Jung S-M, Seo J-M, Kim M-J, Dai L, Baek J-B. Large-Scale Production of edge-selectively functionalized graphene nanoplatelets via ball milling and their use as metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction. J Am Chem Soc 2013 135 1386-93. 

Wang S, Yu D, Dai L. Polyelectrolyte functionalized carbon nanotubes as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction. / Am Chem Soc 2011 133(14) 5182-5. 

Qu L, Liu Y, Baek JB, Dai L. Nitrogen-doped graphene as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction in fuel cells. ACS Nano 2010 4 1321-6. 

Wang SY, Yu DS, Dai LM, Chang DW, Baek JB. Polyelectrolyte-functionalized graphene as metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction. ACS Nano 2011 5(8) 6202-9. 

Wang S, Zhang L, Xia Z, Roy A, Chang D, Baek J, et al. BCN graphene as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction. Angew Chem IntEd 2012 51(17) 4209-12. 

Since Pt is a scarce and expensive metal, in 2002, the US Department of Energy (DOE) set targets for the maximum quantity of Pt to be used in H2/O2 (Air) PEM fuel cells. Initially, the 2015 target was set to 0.2 g Pt/kWe (with kWe for the rated electric power) for total anode and cathode Pt content combined. However, due to the considerable rise in Pt price, a new target—0.125 g Pt/kWe—was recently set for 2017 [5]. At around 1,700-1,800 per Pt Troy ounce (31.1 g), 0.125 g Pt/kWe would represent a Pt raw material cost of around 7 Pt/kWe. Meanwhile, the DOE also sets the cost target for the entire membrane electrode assembly to 9/kWe There is, therefore, a strong case for replacing Pt with a lower cost non-noble metal-based electrocatalyst (or a metal-free electrocatalyst). 

Yang L, Jiang S, Zhao Y, Zhu L, Chen S, Wang X, Wu Q, Ma J, Ma Y, Hu Z (2011) Boron-doped carbon nanotubes as metal-free electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed 50(31) 7132-7135... 

Yang S, Feng X, Wang X, Mullen K (2011) Graphene-based carbon nitride nanosheets as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions. Angew Chem Int Ed 50(23) 5339-5343... 

Ye T-N, Lv L-B, Li X-H, Xu M, Chen J-S. Strongly veined carbon nanoleaves as a highly efficient metal-free electrocatalyst. Angew Chem Int Ed 2014 53 6905-9. 

D.-S. Yang, D. Bhattacharjya, S. Inamdar, J. Park and J.-S. Yu, Phosphorus-doped ordered mesoporous carbons with different channel lengths as efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media, /. Am. Chem. Soc. 134,2012,16127-16130. 

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