One-Step Plasma-Assisted Electrochemical Synthesis of Nanocomposites of Few-Layer Graphene Structures with Manganese Oxides as Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Using the method of plasma-assisted electrochemical exfoliation of graphite, a nanocomposite, which consists of few-layer graphene structures with surface decorated with manganese oxides nanoparticles, is synthesized in one-step process. It is found that this material exhibits a high electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction due to the presence of manganese in the +2 and +3 oxidation states, and also carbonyl (quinone) functional groups on the surface of graphene structures.