Issue 36, 2022

Strategic design of Fe and N co-doped hierarchically porous carbon as superior ORR catalyst: from the perspective of nanoarchitectonics

Abstract

In this study, we present microporous carbon (MPC), hollow microporous carbon (HMC) and hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) to demonstrate the importance of strategical designing of nanoarchitectures in achieving advanced catalyst (or electrode) materials, especially in the context of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Based on the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and ORR studies, we identify a marked structural effect depending on the porosity. Specifically, mesopores are found to have the most profound influence by significantly improving electrochemical wettability and accessibility. We also identify that macropore contributes to the rate capability of the porous carbons. The results of the rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) method also demonstrate the advantages of strategically designed double-shelled nanoarchitecture of HPC to increase the overall electron transfer number (n) closer to four by offering a higher chance of the double two-electron pathways. Next, selective doping of highly active Fe–Nx sites on HPC is obtained by increasing the nitrogen content in HPC. As a result, the optimized Fe and N co-doped HPC demonstrate high ORR catalytic activity comparable to the commercial 20 wt% Pt/C in alkaline electrolyte. Our findings, therefore, strongly advocate the importance of a strategic design of advanced catalyst (or electrode) materials, especially in light of both structural and doping effects, from the perspective of nanoarchitectonics.

Graphical abstract: Strategic design of Fe and N co-doped hierarchically porous carbon as superior ORR catalyst: from the perspective of nanoarchitectonics

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
17 mei 2022
Accepted
05 aug 2022
First published
01 sep 2022
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2022,13, 10836-10845

Strategic design of Fe and N co-doped hierarchically porous carbon as superior ORR catalyst: from the perspective of nanoarchitectonics

M. Kim, K. L. Firestein, J. F. S. Fernando, X. Xu, H. Lim, D. V. Golberg, J. Na, J. Kim, H. Nara, J. Tang and Y. Yamauchi, Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 10836 DOI: 10.1039/D2SC02726G

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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