Nitrogen-doped pyrolytic carbon films as highly electrochemically active electrodes

Abstract

abNitrogen-doped Pyrolytic Carbon (N-PyC) films were employed as an electrode material in electrochemical applications. PyC was grown by via non-catalysed chemical vapour deposition and subsequently functionalised via exposure to ammonia-hydrogen plasma. The electrochemical properties of the N-PyC films were investigated using the ferri/ferro-cyanide and hexaamine ruthenium(III) chloride redox probes.Exceptional electron transfer properties were observed and quantified for the N-PyC compared to the as-grown films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of nitrogen in edge plane graphitic configurations and the surface of the N-PyC was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The excellent electrochemical performance of the N-PyC, in addition to its ease of preparation, renders this material ideal for applications in electrochemical sensing.

Recent progress on nitrogen/carbon structures designed for use in energy and sustainability applications

“…This was also conrmed by a study on nitrogendoped pyrolytic carbon lms using cyclic voltammetry with a ferri/ferro-cyanide redox probe. 363 Results showed signicantly enhanced electron transfer kinetics for the nitrogen-doped pyrolytic carbon lms as compared with unmodied carbon lms. EIS measurements conrmed that the N-PyC lms yielded lower resistance to charge transfer.…”

One-dimensional nitrogen-containing carbon nanostructures

“…Functionalization of the NCNTs was achieved using 3-thiophenecarboxaldehyde and N-methylglycine in 1,2-dichlorobenzene (Prato reaction) [148]. A small amount (0.2-5.0 wt%) of MWNCNTs was added to the bulk-heterojunction of poly(3-hexylthiophene) and 1-(3-methoxycarbonyl)propyl-1-phenyl [6,6]C61 in order to obtain the composite organic semiconductor active layer in solar cells [512].…”

“…Pyrolyses were performed in a broad temperature range 550-1100 °C in an inert (He, N 2 , Ar) or reduction atmosphere (H 2 , Ar/H 2 , Ar/H 2 /NH 3 , H 2 /H 2 O) (Tables [5][6][7][8] in the presence of various catalysts, iron in the form of ferrocene being the most often employed catalyst/catalyst precursor (Tables [5][6][7][8]. Pyridine is the most frequently used N-containing heterocyclic aromatic compound as a NCNT precursor ( Table 5).…”

“…Nitrogen-containing carbon (CN x , x<1) materials, e.g., N-containing carbon blacks [1,2], activated carbons [3][4][5], pyrolytic carbons [6], graphites [7][8][9], glass-like carbons [10,11], and carbon fibers [12], are one of the most extensively studied modified/functionalized carbon materials because of their unique physico-chemical properties and versatile applicability [13,14]. Their properties depend mostly on the type and content of different nitrogen functional groups.…”

Molybdenum disulfide/pyrolytic carbon hybrid electrodes for scalable hydrogen evolution

“…Our previous experience with PyC has shown that this material is highly suitable as an electrode material given its chemical, thermal and mechanical durability with many reported electrochemical applications. [26][27][28][29] This investigation aims to show that such thin layers of MoS 2 , grown via vapour phase sulfurisation directly on a substrate of conductive PyC, present a suitable electrode for HER with few limits to up-scaling production in an industrially compatible process. In addition, details of the reaction mechanism are discussed and correlated to spectroscopic and microscopic characterisation of the MoS 2 /PyC lms.…”