The Impact of Loading and Temperature on the Oxygen Reduction Reaction at Nitrogen-doped Carbon Nanotubes in Alkaline Medium

•NCNT loading effect on ORR in alkaline medium.•Temperature effect on ORR at NCNT.•non-linear correlation between temperature and kinetic rate. Metal-free nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube (NCNT) catalysts were synthesised via chemical vapour deposition with ethylenediamine and iron phthalocyanine. The electrochemically active NCNT was studied via thin-film rotating-ring disk voltamogram analysis to elucidate the optimum loading of catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 0.1M KOH electrolyte. In this study, the activity and stability of NCNT at elevated temperature were investigated. The current limiting plateau was achieved with loading above 500μg/cm2 on glassy carbon tip with insignificant change in onset potential (c.a. +0.9V vs RHE). The highest electron transfer number of 3.90 was obtained and it was found comparable to n=3.95 on 130μg/cm2 Pt/C catalysts. The subjection to cell's temperature from 298K to 343K showed improved activity and was found stable above 323K.