Spectroscopic characterization of Cobalt-Phthalocyanine electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications

The XPS and NEXAFS data indicate a decomposition of the CoN4 (chelate-) complex during pyrolysis. The N1s data for 800 °C show graphite-like, formally pyrrolic and pyridinic like features, without any significant contribution of Co. The Co2p data for both, XPS and NEXAFS are dominated by CoO/Co2O3. It can be concluded that during the pyrolysis cobalt particles are formed by the disintegration of CoN4-centers, after pyrolysis these particles become oxidized upon contact with air.