Facile preparation of glycine-based mesoporous graphitic carbons with embedded cobalt nanoparticles

WANG, WENHAI; ALVARO YAMIL TESIO; OLIVARES-MARÍN, MARA; PEDRO GÓMEZ ROMERO; TONTI, DINO

JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2022

0022-2461

A simple route has been developed for the preparation of mesoporous graphiticcarbons with embedded cobalt nanoparticles just using glycine as a nitrogensource, cobalt nitrate and distilled water. After heating the mixture to 300 Cunder magnetic stirring, a dry solid product was obtained, which was thencarbonized at 900 8C under argon atmosphere. Changing the glycine/Co molarratio allowed controlling the size of the cobalt particles and their dispersion inthe carbon matrix, the porosity of the carbon and its graphitic character. Thecarbon–metal composites obtained were tested as oxygen cathodes in Li–O2batteries. Cells assembled exhibited a full discharge capacity up to 2.19 mAhcm-2 at a current of 0.05 mA cm-2 and over 39 cycles at a cutoff capacity of 0.5mAh cm-2. This work provides a green, feasible and simple way to preparemesoporous graphitic carbons with embedded cobalt nanoparticles withoutinvolving templates.