Li-Birnessite Manganese Oxide Coated on Graphene Aerogel for High-Efficient Electrocatalyst Towards Oxygen Reduction Reaction

The sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a critical challenge for metal-air batteries and fuel cells. To increase the reaction rate, the high-efficient electrocatalysts are needed. Among various catalysts, platinum and its alloys are investigated as the best catalyst for the ORR. However, the Pt-based catalysts suffer from many disadvantages, including excessive cost, scarcity, and poor stability. In this work, layered manganese oxides, Li-birnessite, Na-birnessite, K-birnessite and their composites with graphene aerogel were used as the ORR catalysts. The ORR catalytic activity of these materials has been studied using rotating disk electrode (RDE) in O2-saturated and Ar-saturated KOH solution. The linear sweep voltammogram (LSV) curves at scan rate of 10 mVs- 1 show that the Li-birnessite/graphene aerogel provided the best catalytic performance with an onset potential of 0.99 V (V vs. RHE), half wave potential of 0.66 V (V vs. RHE), limiting current density of 5.60 mA cm- 1 (at a rotation rate of 1600 rpm), and Tafel slope of 104.3 mV dec- 1, which is comparable to the Pt catalyst. Moreover, the electron transfer number per oxygen molecule (n) calculated by Koutechy–Levich (K–L) equation is ~ 4, indicating a 4-electron pathway for ORR and suggesting the Li-birnessite manganese oxide coated on graphene aerogel as a high-efficient ORR catalyst.