Abstract
BN-doped carbon blacks were prepared by mechanochemical alloying of a carbon black and h-BN (h-BN doping ratio: 0-50 at%). The structure, the surface chemical states and the catalytic activity for an electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction of the prepared carbons were investigated. XRD and TEM studies revealed the following influences of h-BN on the structure of the carbon black; i.e. the reduction in the d002-spacing and the loss of the alignment of the graphene layer in the primary particles of the carbon black. Detailed studies were conducted for the 20 at% BN-doped carbon black, since incomplete alloying was observed obviously for the samples with higher doping levels than 33 at%. XPS studies proved the formation of B-C and N-C bonds as well as B-N-C moieties, which indicated a mechanochemical reaction between the carbon black and h-BN, took place during mechanical treatment. Hence, the mechanical treatment of carbon black and h-BN could provide BN-doped carbon blacks. Increases in the activities of carbons for the oxygen reduction reaction were observed by the mechanical treatment; i.e. only a simple treatment without h-BN could increase the activity by 17 times that of the pristine carbon black, and a further 10 fold enhancement was observed for the BN-doped carbon.
