Carbon-based composite electrocatalysts for low temperature fuel cells

1. A process for synthesis of a catalyst comprising:

providing a carbon precursor material;

oxidizing the carbon precursor material whereby an oxygen functional group is introduced into the carbon precursor material; and

adding a nitrogen functional group into the oxidized carbon precursor material.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the carbon precursor material comprises carbon black.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the carbon precursor material is refluxed within a solution of nitric acid in order to oxidize the carbon precursor material.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen functional group comprises quinone, carboxyl, lactone, phenol, carbonyl, ether, pyrone, chromene, or combinations thereof.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen functional group is added into the oxidized carbon precursor material via a polymerization process of a nitrogen precursor donor followed by pyrolysis.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the nitrogen precursor comprises melamine, urea, thio-urea, selenourea, or combinations thereof.

7. The process of claim 5 , wherein the pyrolysis takes place at greater than about 500° C.

8. The process of claim 1 , further comprising removing impurities from the carbon precursor material.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein the carbon precursor material is substantially free of metal after the impurities are removed.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is utilized as an electrode support for a fuel cell.

11. A process for synthesis of a catalyst comprising:

providing a carbon precursor material;

oxidizing the carbon precursor material whereby an oxygen functional group is introduced into the carbon precursor material;

adding a nitrogen functional group into the oxidized carbon precursor material to form an electrode support; and

depositing a metal-nitrogen chelate onto the electrode support.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the carbon precursor material comprises carbon black.

13. The process of claim 11 , wherein the carbon precursor material is refluxed within a solution of nitric acid in order to oxidize the carbon precursor material.

14. The process of claim 11 , wherein the oxygen functional group comprises quinone, carboxyl, lactone, phenol, carbonyl, ether, pyrone, chromene, or combinations thereof.

15. The process of claim 11 , wherein the nitrogen functional group is added into the oxidized carbon precursor material via a polymerization process of a nitrogen precursor donor followed by pyrolysis.

16. The process of claim 15 , wherein the nitrogen precursor comprises melamine, urea, thio-urea, selenourea, or combinations thereof.

17. The process of claim 15 , wherein the pyrolysis takes place at greater than about 500° C.

18. The process of claim 11 , further comprising removing impurities from the carbon precursor material.

19. The process of claim 18 , wherein the carbon precursor material is substantially free of metal after the impurities are removed.

20. The process of claim 18 , wherein the impurities are removed by dissolving them in an acidic solution comprising hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid.

21. The process of claim 11 , wherein the metal-nitrogen chelate has a structure with the formula MN 4 , wherein M is a metal and N is a nitrogen atom chelated with M, though the nitrogen is bonded to another molecule.

22. The process of claim 11 , wherein the metal-nitrogen chelate is deposited onto the electrode support via a reflux process followed by pyrolysis.

23. The process of claim 11 , wherein the support deposited with metal-nitrogen chelate further comprises a platinum catalyst, the platinum catalyst being present in an amount less than about 0.01 mg cm −2 .

24. The process of claim 11 , wherein the support deposited with metal-nitrogen chelate further comprises a cobalt catalyst.

25. The process of claim 11 , wherein the support deposited with metal-nitrogen chelate is utilized as a fuel cell cathode.