The synthesis and synergistic catalysis of iron phthalocyanine and its graphene-based axial complex for enhanced oxygen reduction

The FePc-based nanostructures ‒are firstly synthesized via the graphene-assisted colloid chemical reaction. The experimental results of MALDI-TOF MS, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, Raman, XPS, XANES and EXAFS prove the axial covalent bonding between FePc and RGO via Fe‒O‒C bond after the interruption of C‒O‒C bond, which results in the formation of Fe(II)Pc/Fe(III)Pc/RGO nanostructures. Compared to the commercial Pt/C and other FePc-based nanomaterials, the optimal Fe(II)Pc/Fe(III)Pc/rGO nanostructure exhibits better ORR activity in alkaline solution, revealing the importance of the synergistic catalysis of five- and four- coordinated Fe atoms as well as carbon substrate for ORR.282