Poly(indole-6-carboxylic acid)/Carbon Composite as the Matrix for the Immobilization of the Phenanthroline Metal Complexes, and the Use of the Composites as Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

摘要

Two new none-precious metal electro-catalyst for the reduction of oxygen (ORR) were prepared by afacile method, which is characterized by the sequential procedure including oxidation polymerization,chemical coupling and ion complexation reactions etc. The carbon supported poly(indole-6-carboxylicacid) composite (PIn/C) was obtained by the in-situ polymerization method, which was linked with 5- amine-1,10-phenanthroline to form the PInPhen/C composite, and the final CuPInPhen/C orFePInPhen/C catalysts were obtained by the complexation reaction of PInPhen/C with Cu (II) or Fe(II) ions. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the catalysts were studied by scanningelectron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) method. The electrochemicalbehaviour of the catalysts were characterized using techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV),rotating disk electrode (RDE), rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) and electrochemical impedancespectroscopy (EIS). The data of the results suggested that both of the composite catalysts underwent apredominant four-electron pathway for the reduction of oxygen, with the CuPInPhen/C catalystexhibited a better ORR activity and stability than that of the FePInPhen/C catalysts.