Researchers at the American University showed that spinach, when converted from its leafy, edible form into carbon nanosheets can act as a catalyst for an oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells and metal-air batteries.
To create the nanosheets, the researchers put the spinach through a multi-step process that included washing, juicing and freeze-drying the spinach, manually grinding it into a fine powder, and infusing the resulting carbon nanosheet with extra nitrogen to improve its performance.
The research demonstrates how inexpensive and less toxic catalysts can be made for an oxygen reduction reaction from natural resources. Spinach is a good candidate because it survives in low temperatures, is abundant and easy to grow, and is rich in iron and nitrogen, both essential for this type of catalyst.
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