Exploring the effect of surface chemistry and particle size of boron-doped diamond powder as catalyst and catalyst support for the oxygen reduction reaction

The interest for the electrodes based on conductive boron-doped diamond powder (BDDP) is increasing in recent years due to their excellent physical and chemical stability, wide potential window both aqueous organic electrolytes, relatively large specific surface area, versatility comparison thin film electrodes. These materials have been proposed as alternative cathode catalyst support high corrosion resistance when subjected highly positive potentials originated during start-stop operations fuel cells, especially automobiles. In this work, we present three BDDP supports with different particle sizes oxygen contents of iron species reduction reaction alkaline solution. were modified carbon nitride (C3N4) or phthalocyanines (Pc) anchoring points iron. electrocatalytic performance observed confirmed strong influence chemistry activity metallic sites FePc samples while, Fe-C3N4 samples, determining effect was size support. Additionally, DFT calculations used obtain some insights about interaction surface.