Perovskite-based bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction in alkaline electrolytes

Due to the high cost of precious metal-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution, the development of alternative low cost and efficient catalysts is of high importance for energy storage and conversion technologies. Although non-precious catalysts that can efficiently catalyze oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution have been developed, electrocatalysts with high bifunctional activity for both oxygen evolution and reduction are needed. Perovskites based on modified lanthanum cobaltite possess significant activity for the oxygen evolution reaction. We describe the synthesis of a bifunctional oxygen electrode with simultaneous activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media by direct growth of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes on the surface of a perovskite containing Co and Fe by means of chemical vapor deposition. The difference in the overvoltage between ORR (at 1 mA/cm2) and OER (at 10 mA/cm2) was below 880 mV in 0.1 M KOH. The formation of H2O2 during the ORR was reduced by at least three fold when using the bifunctional catalyst as compared to the non-modified perovskite. Long-term durability tests indicate stable performance for at least 37 h during the OER and 23 h during the ORR.

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