Electrocatalytic activity towards ORR correlated with synthesis methods and nitrogen functionality of polyaniline derived-nitrogen doped carbon materials

The present study investigates the electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution of polyaniline derivednitrogen doped carbon materials (NDCMs) synthesized using three different methodsPANI1-900, PANI2-900 and PANI3-900. The electrocatalytic activity of carbonized PANIs towards ORR was correlated with the synthesis method used for polyaniline samples and the XPS and Raman data. The results show that the synthesis method used to produce PANI1 samples that have an increased content of protonated nitrogen (N+) species and a higher doping level is more suitable for the development of NDCMs materials with improved ORR activity.