Bioinspired molecular catalysts with a unique tricopper architecture for highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

In situ growth of intertwined trinuclear copper complexes (nCu₃) on a cellulose-derived carbon support (CMC) produced a high-performance electrocatalyst (CMC–nCu₃) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which demonstrated superior performance in zinc–air batteries compared to a commercial Pt/C catalyst. This work highlights the importance of copper-based molecular catalysts with rich and intertwined tricopper structures for boosting both ORR activity and stability.