Abstract
In this study, a class of non-precious metal catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), namely N-doped porous carbon accompanied with Fe2O3 (herein named as AC-4), is synthesized from one-step pyrolyzing the precursors of KOH, coal, Fe salt and melamine, followed by acid-leaching. Several catalysts, AC-1 from KOH + coal, AC-2 from KOH + coal + melamine and AC-3 from KOH + coal + Fe salt, are also shown for comparison. As a result, AC-4 provides the best ORR catalytic activity with the ORR peak potential (Ep) of 818 mV, followed by the order of AC-2 (783 mV) > AC-3 (775 mV) > AC-1(771 mV), meaning that the N-doping strategy plays more effect than the Fe2O3-doping method, and AC-4 has the synergetic effect of these two ways. Furthermore, the ORR mechanism on AC-4 is near a four-electron transfer pathway with the electron transfer number around 3.7–3.9. It also has a good stability and methanol-resistance. Structure measurements display that introduction of N heteroatom and/or metal can increase the disorder degree of AC, and AC-4 has a structure of N-doped porous carbon (the special surface area of 1193 m2 g−1) accompanied with Fe2O3.
Funder
Natural Science Foundations of China
Natural Science Foundations of Shanghai
Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality
Shanghai Pujiang Program
Publisher
The Electrochemical Society
Subject
Materials Chemistry,Electrochemistry,Surfaces, Coatings and Films,Condensed Matter Physics,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment,Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials