Pyrolysis-Free Mechanochemical Synthesis of Cobalt Polyphthalocyanine Electrocatalyst for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract

The urgent need to battle the rising global temperatures caused by human-induced activities, primarily fossil fuel usage, highlights the importance of switching to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Fuel cells are viable for sustainable energy generation since they efficiently convert chemical energy into electricity with minimal losses. However, the usefulness of these devices is limited by the slowness of oxygen reduction (ORR) - processes at the cathode of the fuel cell, which leads to the search for better electrocatalysts to increase efficiency. In this context, metal-nitrogen-doped carbon (M-N-C) catalysts provide a convincing alternative to noble metals in ORR. However, hurdles must still be overcome to increase their activity and manage active site distribution. Traditional synthesis processes are both ecologically damaging and economically inefficient, driving the development of greener alternatives such as mechanochemistry. In this thesis, a novel pyrolysis-free mechanochemical method is developed to synthesise cobalt polyphthalocyanine (Co-PPc) electrocatalyst. This research contributes to the synthesis of efficient, cost-competitive, and environmentally friendly electrocatalysts for sustainable energy storage and conversion applications.