Effect of pH and temperature on carbon-supported manganese oxide oxygen reduction electrocatalysts

Manganese oxides nanoparticles were chemically deposited on a high area (ca. 300 m² g⁻¹) carbon black substrate to act as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction. The morphology and chemistry of the carbon-supported MnO_x nanoparticles was characterised by Transmission Electron Microscopy), X-ray Diffraction, and chemical analysis. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic activity was studied in the 7–10 pH range using a rotating disk electrode (RDE). High activity towards oxygen reduction and very good stability in neutral and slightly basic solution were obtained. At low current densities, at 25 °C, MnO_x/C displayed a reaction order with respect to OH⁻ ions of −0.5 and Tafel slopes of −0.153 and −0.167 V dec⁻¹ at pH 7 and 10 respectively; showing that the ORR mechanism on MnO_x/C is unchanged in the 7–10 pH range. From the data, we propose that the first electrochemical step of the 4-electron ORR mechanism, in the 7–10 pH range, is the quasi equilibrium proton insertion process in MnO₂ yielding MnOOH (insoluble in neutral or slightly basic solution). The ORR activity of the MnO_x/C materials increased with increasing temperatures from 5 to 40 °C. The 2-electron pathway of oxygen reduction, yielding hydrogen peroxides as intermediates, may however be favoured over the 4-electron O₂ reduction at higher temperatures.