Formation of non-planar carbon layers in naphthalene-pitch-derived carbon by addition of fullerene mixture and its influence on electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate whether the defects in carbon structure can be active sites for electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). A fullerene mixture (FM) was used to modify the carbon structure of a naphthalene pitch-derived carbon. The addition of FM induced non-planar structures in the carbon, which was revealed by TEM and by XRD analysis with Diamond's theory. The addition also increased the oxygen adsorption ability, as shown by the O₂-TPD and the ORR activity of the carbon. These results lead us to conclude that the defects relating to non-planar structure induced in the layered structure of the FM added carbon act as the ORR active sites.