Mesoporous Metal–Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Electrocatalysts for Highly Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract

A family of mesoporous nonprecious metal (NPM) catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acidic media, including cobalt−nitrogen-doped carbon (C−N−Co) and iron−nitrogen-doped carbon (C−N− Fe), was prepared from vitamin B12 (VB12) and the polyaniline-Fe (PANI-Fe) complex, respectively. Silica nanoparticles, ordered mesoporous silica SBA-15, and montmorillonite were used as templates for achieving mesoporous structures. The most active mesoporous catalyst was fabricated from VB12 and silica nanoparticles and exhibited a remarkable ORR activity in acidic medium (half-wave potential of 0.79 V, only ∼58 mV deviation from Pt/C), high selectivity (electron-transfer number >3.95), and excellent electrochemical stability (only 9 mV negative shift of half-wave potential after 10 000 potential cycles). The unprecedented performance of these NPM catalysts in ORR was attributed to their well-defined porous structures with a narrow mesopore size distribution, high Brunauer−Emmett−Teller surface area (up to 572 m 2 /g), and homogeneous distribution of abundant metal−N x active sites.

Metal–Organic‐Framework‐Derived Dual Metal‐ and Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon as Efficient and Robust Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysts for Microbial Fuel Cells

“…However, it is still challenging to achieve satisfying ORR performance with these inexpensive catalysts due to the sluggish kinetics of ORR. It was shown recently that modification of the nonmetal heteroatom doped carbon with transition metal species could promote its ORR activity to a level comparable to that of Pt‐based catalyst 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Although the detailed mechanism for this performance enhancement is not clearly understood yet,22, 23 these results clearly outlined the potential of the metal and nonmetal heteroatom codoped carbon for the development of high performance and low cost ORR catalyst.…”

Graphene based metal and metal oxide nanocomposites: synthesis, properties and their applications

“…388 Moving to group 10, HRG/Pd nanocomposites were used as electrocatalysts for the ORR and the oxidation of alcohols in different types of fuel cells, such as DMFCs, DEFCs, and DFAFCs etc. [394][395][396] Due to the electrocatalytic activity of Pd NPs, HRG/Pd electrocatalysts have gained attention as a cost-efficient replacement for Pt-based electrocatalysts, which are often poisoned by reaction intermediates like CO in acidic media. Zhao et al applied poly-pyrole-functionalized graphene as a carbon support for the Pd catalyst, which resulted in a higher electrocatalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation compared to that of the more expensive Pt-based electrocatalysts.…”

Advanced Hierarchical Vesicular Carbon Co‐Doped with S, P, N for High‐Rate Sodium Storage

“…[[qv: 7b,21]] The two small peaks at 283.6 and 286.5 eV are assigned to the P—C and C—S bonds, respectively, suggesting that P and S atoms are implanted into the carbon lattice. [[qv: 15g,22]] In the high resolution of the N1s spectrum (Figure 2g), the three peaks centered at 398.8, 400, and 401 eV belong to the pyridinic‐N, pyrrolic‐N, and graphitic‐N, respectively 23. As described in Figure 2h, the high resolution of the P 2p spectrum presents four peaks located at 131.4, 132.7, 134.2, and 135.5 eV, which are related to the P—C, P—O—C, P—O, and P=N bond, respectively.…”