Manganese Oxides/Graphene Composite as Cathode Catalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Solution

Abstract

Manganese oxides/graphene composite were synthesized by the reflux-calcination method. The catalyst composed of 48 wt.% Manganese oxides nanoparticles were distributed evenly on graphene sheets, which was used as cathode catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction in a 6 M KOH solution. The mesoporous structure showed high electrochemical activation, in which the oxygen reduction potential reached −0.29 V vs. Hg/HgO. Calculations suggested that it possessed good electrocatalytic activity toward the two-electron reduction of oxygen.

Keywords:

• graphene
• manganese oxides
• nanoparticles
• oxygen reduction reaction
• alkaline

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Open Project of Key Lab Adv. Energy Mat. Chem. (Nankai Univ.) (KLAEMC-OP201201) partially.