Metal-nitrogen doping of mesoporous carbon/graphene nanosheets by self-templating for oxygen reduction electrocatalysts

ChemSusChem. 2014 Nov;7(11):3002-6. doi: 10.1002/cssc.201402680. Epub 2014 Sep 11.

Abstract

We demonstrate a general and efficient self-templating strategy towards transition metal-nitrogen containing mesoporous carbon/graphene nanosheets with a unique two-dimensional (2D) morphology and tunable mesoscale porosity. Owing to the well-defined 2D morphology, nanometer-scale thickness, high specific surface area, and the simultaneous doping of the metal-nitrogen compounds, the as-prepared catalysts exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in both alkaline and acidic media. More importantly, such a self-templating approach towards two-dimensional porous carbon hybrids with diverse metal-nitrogen doping opens up new avenues to mesoporous heteroatom-doped carbon materials as electrochemical catalysts for oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution, with promising applications in fuel cell and battery technologies.

Keywords: doping; graphene; mesoporous materials; oxygen reduction reaction; template synthesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbon / chemistry*
  • Catalysis
  • Cobalt / chemistry*
  • Electrochemistry
  • Iron / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nitrogen / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Oxygen / chemistry*

Substances

  • Cobalt
  • Carbon
  • Iron
  • Nitrogen
  • Oxygen