Strongly stabilized integrated bimetallic oxide of Fe₂O₃-MoO₃ Nano-crystal entrapped N-doped graphene as a superior oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalyst

In-expensive transition metal catalysts are the most favorable substitutes to the noble metal catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells energy technology. Herein, the article focused on the synthesis of uniformly distributed nano-sized bimetallic Fe₂O₃-MoO₃ oxide encapsulated nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) (Fe₂O₃-MoO₃/NG core-shell structure) catalyst through well-controlling reaction parameters and its prospective applications towards ORR for the first time. Thus, these unique synergistic interactions of bimetallic Fe₂O₃-MoO₃ and NG support could modify the surface-strain effects, which led to enriching catalytic activity. Thus, Fe₂O₃-MoO₃/NG core-shell structure demonstrated excellent catalytic activity, and far exceeding in long-term durability, better methanol tolerance compared to commercial Pt/C catalyst. Furthermore, the monometallic oxide (Fe₂O₃ or MoO₃) or NG individually have poor activity for ORR, but their hybrid materials (Fe₂O₃-MoO₃/NG) influenced strongly due to their structural properties, such as crystal structure, exclusive porosity, particle size and multiple active interfaces, display unexpected and remarkably high ORR activities similar to Pt/C in alkaline medium, This makes Fe₂O₃-MoO₃/NG core-shell structure a suitable and efficient non-precious electrocatalysts with high catalytic ability, that could open up a new promising approach to advanced catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion and storage.