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Cu, Co‐Embedded N‐Enriched Mesoporous Carbon for Efficient Oxygen Reduction and Hydrogen Evolution Reactions
Author(s) -
Kuang Min,
Wang Qihao,
Han Peng,
Zheng Gengfeng
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201700193
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , materials science , overpotential , oxygen evolution , chemical engineering , carbon fibers , reversible hydrogen electrode , imidazolate , zeolitic imidazolate framework , catalysis , mesoporous material , bifunctional , pyrolysis , water splitting , inorganic chemistry , electrochemistry , metal organic framework , electrode , chemistry , composite material , composite number , engineering , biochemistry , adsorption , reference electrode , photocatalysis
Rational synthesis of hybrid, earth‐abundant materials with efficient electrocatalytic functionalities are critical for sustainable energy applications. Copper is theoretically proposed to exhibit high reduction capability close to Pt, but its high diffusion behavior at elevated fabrication temperatures limits its homogeneous incorporation with carbon. Here, a Cu, Co‐embedded nitrogen‐enriched mesoporous carbon framework (CuCo@NC) is developed using, a facile Cu‐confined thermal conversion strategy of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF‐67) pre‐grown on Cu(OH) 2 nanowires. Cu ions formed below 450 °C are homogeneously confined within the pores of ZIF‐67 to avoid self‐aggregation, while the existence of CuN bonds further increases the nitrogen content in carbon frameworks derived from ZIF‐67 at higher pyrolysis temperatures. This CuCo@NC electrocatalyst provides abundant active sites, high nitrogen doping, strong synergetic coupling, and improved mass transfer, thus significantly boosting electrocatalytic performances in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). A high half‐wave potential (0.884 V vs reversible hydrogen potential, RHE) and a large diffusion‐limited current density are achieved for ORR, comparable to or exceeding the best reported earth‐abundant ORR electrocatalysts. In addition, a low overpotential (145 mV vs RHE) at 10 mA cm −2 is demonstrated for HER, further suggesting its great potential as an efficient electrocatalyst for sustainable energy applications.