Oxygen reduction reaction catalysts activation energy

Lai L, Potts J, Zhan D, Wang L, Poh C, Tang C, et al. Exploration of the active center structure of nitrogen-doped graphene-based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction. Energy Environ Sci 2012 5 7936-42. 

In summary, theoretical predicted activation energies are in tine with experimental numbers. Activation energy studies suggest that with Pt as the catalyst, proton transfer precedes O2 dissociation and is involved in the rate determining step of the oxygen reduction reaction. Without catalysts, the third-eleetron transfer step has the largest activation energy, followed by the lirst-eleetron transfer step. An efficient ORR catalyst should activate the first- and third-electron transfer steps. 

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