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Single‐Atom Cr−N 4 Sites Designed for Durable Oxygen Reduction Catalysis in Acid Media
Author(s) -
Luo Ergui,
Zhang Hao,
Wang Xian,
Gao Liqin,
Gong Liyuan,
Zhao Tuo,
Jin Zhao,
Ge Junjie,
Jiang Zheng,
Liu Changpeng,
Xing Wei
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201906289
Subject(s) - catalysis , oxygen reduction reaction , metal , chemistry , oxygen reduction , atom (system on chip) , oxygen , pyrolysis , inorganic chemistry , materials science , chemical engineering , combinatorial chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , electrochemistry , electrode , computer science , engineering , embedded system
Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) are attracting widespread interest for the catalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with Fe−N x SACs exhibiting the most promising activity. However, Fe‐based catalysts suffer serious stability issues as a result of oxidative corrosion through the Fenton reaction. Herein, using a metal‐organic framework as an anchoring matrix, we for the first time obtained pyrolyzed Cr/N/C SACs for the ORR, where the atomically dispersed Cr is confirmed to have a Cr−N 4 coordination structure. The Cr/N/C catalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity with an optimal half‐wave potential of 0.773 V versus RHE. More excitingly, the Fenton reaction is substantially reduced and, thus, the final catalysts show superb stability. The innovative and robust active site for the ORR opens a new possibility to circumvent the stability issue of the non‐noble metal ORR catalysts.