One-pot synthesis of Fe/N/S-doped porous carbon nanotubes for efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

Exploring simple and flexible methods to synthesize oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with high catalytic activity is of great significance for the large-scale application of fuel cells. Here we report a Fe/N/S-doped porous carbon nanotube catalyst which was simply synthesized by a one-pot method using FeCl₃ as the flocculant, oxidant, dopant and activating agent, which makes full use of the multi-functional roles of Fe species. The results show that the specific surface area of the carbon nanotubes obtained by iron species activation is nearly four times that of the un-activated, and micro/mesoporous structures have been largely developed. Moreover, the Fe/N/S-doped porous carbon nanotube catalyst exhibits efficient ORR catalytic activity, long-term stability, and high endurance to methanol in both alkaline and acidic media. This ingenious synthesis strategy for preparing an efficient ORR catalyst by making full use of the versatility of the Fe species provides a new insight into the synthesis and application of carbon materials.