Co nanoparticles/N-doped carbon nanotubes: Facile synthesis by taking Co-based complexes as precursors and electrocatalysis on oxygen reduction reaction.

Carbon based non-precious metals and carbon-based materials have been widely demonstrated as promising electrocatalysts on oxygen reduction reaction. Nevertheless, how to control synthesize electrocatalysts effectively by employing a general path is still a great challenge. In this paper, we propose a facile strategy to grow Co nanoparticles/N-doped carbon nanotube hetero-structure from Co-based complexes with excellent electrocatalytic activity. By using different ligands (oleylamine, p-phenylenediamine, and 2-methylimidazole), Co-based complexes or metal-organic framework with the special morphologies were prepared and taken as templates for the Co nanoparticles/N-doped carbon nanotubes growing at high temperature. The as-prepared Co nanoparticles/N-doped carbon nanotubes perform high activity and excellent capacity on the electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction reaction. The onset potential and half-wave potential is measured as 0.92 V RHE and 0.84 V RHE respectively, which is very closed to the performance of commercial Pt/C(20%). Besides, the different Co-complexes with special morphologies are used as template for growing N-doped carbon nanotubes encapsulated Co nanoparticles and their corresponding electrocatalysis shows that the as-prepared Co nanoparticles/N-doped carbon nanotubes performance high capabilities on electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction reaction. The facile strategy for growing N-doped carbon nanotubes provides a possibility path to fabricate electrode on different substrate with excellent performance. [Display omitted] • The electrocatalysis of the Co NPs/CNTs performed high activities and good durability, which were closed to the previous reported results and the performance of commercial Pt/C. • The as-prepared Co NPs/CNTs heterostructures prepared with varies of Co complexes were testified with similar structure, doping element, defects and chemical valences. • The Co NPs/CNTs heterostructures were prepared by growing CNTs with the original morphologies remaining, which providing a general and effected path to prepared Co NPs/CNTs with controlled morphologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]