The development of high performance carbon electrocatalyst by controlling the hierachical porous structure

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K14047
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 27020:Chemical reaction and process system engineering-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: ZHU Chunyu 北海道大学, 工学研究院, 特任助教 (30749255)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 電極触媒 / 多孔質炭素 / 酸素還元反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The development of low-cost and abundant carbon-based electrode materials which have high oxygen reduction electrocatalytic activity, to substitute precious metals such as platium, has received great attentions. Hierarchical porous carbon is one of the most promising candidates because of the unique structure. This study is to explore a new process for synthesize hierarchical porous carbon for electrocatalyst. In detail, an exothermic reaction that occures between the metal nitrate oxidant and organic reductant is used for the exfoliation and pyrolysis of biomass cellulose to hierarchical porous carbon.

Free Research Field

エネルギー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は再生可能なバイオマスセルロースを原料とした新規な合成手法により、安価かつ簡便で高性能な階層的多孔質炭素電極触媒を創製することである。空気極におけるPt代替酸素還元電極触媒としてバイオマス炭素系材料を使用することで、金属空気電池や燃料電池等高効率発電デバイスの本格的な普及に大きく貢献すると確信される。一方、本研究で得られる特異な炭素材料は、電極触媒の用途以外に、各種ガス吸蔵・吸着材、熱伝導・放出材、ろ過材等にも極めて有用である。