Cobalt coordinated 4,4′-bipyridine derived ordered mesoporous N-doped carbon as an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction

Abstract

Developing highly active, stable and low-cost electrocatalysts to boost the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is key to the practical applications of many advanced energy technologies. In this study, a highly active, ordered mesoporous ORR catalyst was developed using cobalt coordinated 4,4′-bipyridine as a precursor. The catalyst exhibited excellent ORR performance, with a half-wave potential of 0.87 V (vs. RHE). Additionally, the catalyst also exhibited excellent methanol tolerance and stability, as well as a nearly 100% selectivity towards the four electron path during the catalytic procedures. The more mesoporous structures, higher pyridinic N contents, and high surface area, are verified and believed to be the proper origins for the catalyst's excellence performance.