Cyanamide derived thin film on carbon nanotubes as metal free oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalyst

Nitrogen–carbon complex coated carbon nanotubes were synthesized by a metal-free post treatment of commercial carbon nanotubes with cyanamide. Following a reflux and pyrolysis procedure, these materials were found to display increased oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and selectivity towards an overall four electron reduction mechanism with increasing cyanamide loadings in alkaline electrolyte solution. The ORR activity was attributed to …