2D self-assembly of twisted porphyrins appended on multiwalled carbon nanotubes for the oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

The spontaneous formation of an ordered array of twisted cobalt(II) porphyrins yields a 2D self-assembled structure that is then wrapped around multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and characterized using different techniques. The structure of β-tetracyano-meso-tetraphenylporphyrinatocobalt(II) (2-Co) shows axial ligation of the metal center with cyano groups when it is adsorbed on the nanotube sidewalls, and the nanotube acts as a template for the formation of the framework layer. The electrocatalytic applications of the formed conjugate are explored in terms of the activity and the selectivity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in basic media.