EAGER: Investigation of Polymeric Nitrogen Supported on Carbon Nanotube Sheets for Oxygen Reduction in Fuel Cells

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Fuel cells are devices for direct conversion of the chemical energy of a fuel into electricity through electrochemical reactions. If successful, practical fuel cells would be a key enabling technology for movement to a green economy. However successful application of fuel cells has been hindered by factors relating to the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction. Expensive platinum-based catalysts seem to be required to catalyze these oxygen reduction reactions. Platinum is of course rare and expensive and is susceptible to poisoning by molecules such as carbon monoxide, leading to reduced catalyst lifetimes. Despite many decades of research, very few non-precious metal catalysts have been found with promising oxygen reduction catalytic activity and none have exhibited sufficient performance stability. Investigators Xianqin Wang and Zafar Iqbal from New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, are proposing a radically different approach to a new cathode material. Polymeric nitrogen has been theoretically predicted to be a high energy-density material. Various modes have been considered for stabilization of this material. Ab initio molecular dynamic simulations have predicted that a polymeric nitrogen phase can be stabilized at ambient conditions inside carbon nanotubes. Calculation of band gaps for polymeric nitrogen in carbon nanotubes indicates all chain lengths of oligomers are semiconducting. Thus, successful synthesis of polymeric nitrogen in carbon nanotubes offers the opportunity to confirm the viability of such a material in a fuel-cell application. In addition, such materials could be evaluated as catalysts for other reactions.This EAGER proposal will offer the PIs the opportunity to expand on some initial findings. The PIs have had preliminary success in the synthesis of polymeric nitrogen using electrochemical and plasma polymerization approaches and have demonstrated some stabilization on a carbon nanotube substrate. These are very preliminary successes. Experimental tasks in this EAGER proposal include: synthesis of polymeric nitrogen stabilized on carbon nanotube sheets, determination of properties and stability of the materials, fabrication of a polymeric nitrogen-based cathode using modified current commercial techniques, measurement of the performance of this cathode in the oxygen reduction reaction and comparison to a commercially available platinum-on- carbon cathode. Successful performance demonstration will lead to further characterization studies as well as determination of stability. Broader Impacts:The issues with platinum catalysts in fuel cells have been limiting factors for decades. This approach is radically different than many other incremental studies in the area. Success could be very valuable. Even if not successful in fuel cell catalysis, the synthesis offers new catalyst potential for other reactions. In terms of educational directions, the two PIs will guide a graduate student in the accomplishment of these initial experiments in one year. This will be a challenging project for the student. In addition, the potential of new catalyst technology will add to the educational value.