Liquid-assisted grinding/compression: a facile mechanosynthetic route for the production of high-performing Co–N–C electrocatalyst materials
Author
Kosimov, Akmal
Yusibova, Gulnara
Aruväli, Jaan
Paiste, Päärn
Käärik, Maike
Leis, Jaan
Kikas, Arvo
Kisand, Vambola
Smits, Krisjanis
Kongi, Nadezda
Date
2022Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Worldwide implementation of energy conversion devices such as metal–air batteries and fuel cells needs an innovative approach for the sustainable design of noble metal-free electrocatalysts. A key factor to be considered is the industry-scale production method, which should be cost and energy-effective, and environmentally friendly. A novel solid-phase-based methodology is introduced herein as a new approach for the mechanosynthesis of M–N–C-type catalysts. This method employs low-cost commercially available materials, is time and energy-efficient, results in no solvent/toxic waste and does not require a complex post-synthetic treatment. The liquid-assisted grinding/compression approach yielded a series of meso- and microporous Co–N–C catalysts, with excellent bifunctional activity towards oxygen evolution and reduction reactions. In-depth physical characterization confirmed that all NaCl-supported catalysts possess cross-linked sheet-like mesoporous carbon structures with high exposure of catalytically active sites. This study provides a new avenue for the large-scale production of high-performance and low-cost M–N–C materials via energy-effective and environmentally sustainable synthetic protocols. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
URI
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2022/gc/d1gc03433bhttps://dspace.lu.lv/dspace/handle/7/61090