Doped porous carbon nanostructure materials as non-precious metal catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline and acid media

Abstract

Various doped porous carbon nanomaterials to replace Pt-based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acid and alkaline media have been intensively studied. Herein, doped porous carbon nanostructure materials as non-precious metal catalysts for ORR are synthesized using different weight ratios of polyaniline (PANI) to dicyandiamide (DCDA) as carbon source and dopants with iron salt to control the specific surface area and nitrogen doping content. The as-prepared samples exhibit well-defined porous carbon structure that consists of micro- and meso-pores, high specific surface areas, increased amount of nitrogen dopant, and relative content of graphitic N and pyridinic nitrogen N. Among these doped porous carbon nanostructure catalysts, the catalyst synthesized using a proper ratio of PANI to DCDA exhibits significantly improved electrocatalytic performance for ORR, i.e., high half-wave potential, high specific activity, and enhanced stability in both acid and alkaline media, because of the high graphitic N/pyridinic nitrogen N and micro-pore ratios.