Enhanced ORR kinetics and stability through synergy of Pt-Ni clustering and porous N-doped C/Ca aerogel support

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is fundamental in numerous electrochemical energy conversion technologies, necessitating efficient catalysts to enhance reaction kinetics and reduce precious metal usage. This study focuses strategic clustering of Pt-Ni on Calcium Oxide/activated carbon (C/Ca) aerogels. Electrochemical analyses confirmed that incorporating Ni into Pt matrices significantly enhanced ORR activities with Pt 25 Ni 75 -C/Ca composition emerged as optimum. A positive shift in half-wave potential (905 mV vs. RHE) and impressive mass activity (72.50 Ag −1 at 85 V) highlight the potential of this composite as a highly effective and stable ORR catalyst. Pt-C/Ca demonstrated performance fluctuation, while Pt 25 Ni 75 -C/Ca showed remarkable stability after 40,000 cycles. Furthermore, C/Ca aerogels exhibited a significantly increased BET surface area, and the presence of Pt-Ni/pyridinic-N species on its surface C/Ca aerogel provided supplementary active sites that facilitated the adsorption and reduction of O 2 during ORR.