Article Title

One-step scalable preparation of N-doped nanoporous carbon as a high-performance electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction

Authors

Zhenyu Liu, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, P.O. Box 98, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
Guoxin Zhang, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, P.O. Box 98, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
Zhiyi Lu, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, P.O. Box 98, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
Xiuyan Jin, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, P.O. Box 98, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
Zheng Chang, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, P.O. Box 98, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
Xiaoming Sun, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, P.O. Box 98, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China

Keywords

oxygen reduction reaction, nitrogen-doping, porous carbon

Abstract

ABSTRACT N-doped porous carbon materials have been prepared by a simple one-step pyrolysis of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and melamine in the presence of KOH and Co(NO3)2•6H2O. The combination of the high specific area (1485 m2•g–1), high nitrogen content (10.8%) and suitable graphitic degree results in catalysts exhibiting high activity (with onset and half-wave potentials of 0.88 and 0.79 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), respectively) and four-electron selectivity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline medium—comparable to a commercial Pt/C catalyst, but far exceeding Pt/C in stability and durability. Owing to their superb ORR performance, low cost and facile preparation, the catalysts have great potential applications in fuel cells, metal–air batteries, and ORR-related electrochemical industries.

Graphical Abstract

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-013-0307-9

Publisher

Tsinghua University Press

Recommended Citation

Zhenyu Liu,Guoxin Zhang,Zhiyi Lu,Xiuyan Jin,Zheng Chang,Xiaoming Sun, One-step scalable preparation of N-doped nanoporous carbon as a high-performance electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction. NanoRes.2013, 6(4): 293–301