First-principles studies of enhanced oxygen reduction reactions on graphene- and nitrogen-doped graphene-coated platinum surfaces

Abstract

Developing innovative platinum-based electrocatalysts and enhancing their efficiency are crucial for advancing high-performance fuel cell technology. In this study, we employed DFT calculations to provide a theoretical basis for interpreting the impact of graphene coatings on various Pt surfaces on oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activity, which are currently applied as protective layers in experiments. We comprehensively assess the geometric and electronic properties of Pt(100), Pt(110), and Pt(111) surfaces in comparison to their graphene-coated counterparts, revealing different adsorption behaviors of O₂ across these surfaces. The ORR mechanisms on different Pt surfaces show distinct rate-determining steps, with Pt(111) showing the highest ORR activity, followed by Pt(110) and Pt(100). Graphene coatings play a key role in enhancing charge transfer from the surface, resulting in modifications of O₂ adsorption. Despite influencing ORR kinetics, these graphene-coated surfaces demonstrate competitive catalytic activity compared to their bare counterparts. Notably, Pt(111) with a graphene coating exhibits the lowest activation energy among graphene-coated surfaces. Our calculations also suggest that the ORR can occur directly on non-defective Pt@graphene surfaces rather than being restricted to exposed Pt centers due to point defects on graphene. Furthermore, our work highlights the potential of nitrogen doping onto the Pt(111)@C surface to further enhance ORR activity. This finding positions nitrogen-doped Pt@C as a promising electrocatalyst for advancing electrochemical technologies.