A Novel Fe and Cu Bimetallic Mixed Porous Carbon Material for Oxygen Reduction

Abstract

Non-noble metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction are essential for the sustainability and cost reduction of energy conversion devices. However, the performance of non-noble metal catalysts is far inferior to that of platinum-based catalysts. It remains a challenge to synthesize high-performance non-noble metal catalysts using simple methods. Iron and copper are the core elements of hemoglobin and hemocyanin, which are the main components of oxygen carried in animals. Based on the above inspiration, a novel Fe and Cu bimetallic mixed porous carbon material was synthesized by a one-step method. Our catalyst Fe-Cu–N/C-F-1.5 had a porous structure, and its specific surface area is 625 m2 g−1. Fe–Cu–N/C–F-1.5 exhibited an excellent electrochemical characteristic with an initial potential of 0.98 V and a half-wave potential of 0.85 V, which could achieve better electrochemical activity than commercial Pt/C. This work provides a general approach for the rational design of transition metal and heteroatom mixed porous carbon electrocatalysts. A Fe- and Cu-doped carbon catalyst, Fe–Cu–N/C–F-1.5, is prepared from melamine, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and FeCl3, (CH3COO)2Cu•H2O by a one-pot method. Fe–Cu–N/C–F-1.5 with a porous structure and its specific surface area is 625 m2 g−1. Fe–Cu–N/C–F-1.5 shows good catalytic performance in ORR processes. The ORR half-wave potential of Fe–Cu–N/C–F-1.5 is positively shifted by 35 mV compared with that of commercial Pt/C.