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An Excellent Fe, N Co‐Doped Porous Biomass Carbon Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalyst: Effect of Zinc‐Based Activators on Catalytic Activity
Author(s) -
Li Yecheng,
Hu Haocheng,
Song Jie,
Wu Yanling,
Lv Xuehui,
Xiao Zuoxu,
Wang Fuling,
Chen Yanli
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.202000625
Subject(s) - catalysis , zinc , electrocatalyst , mesoporous material , carbon fibers , chemistry , pyrolysis , reducing agent , inorganic chemistry , noble metal , nuclear chemistry , materials science , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , electrode , composite material , composite number
An iron cation double isolated strategy is applied to construct Fe, N‐containing porous biomass carbon oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts. Two different activating agents, Zn(NO 3 ) 2 and ZnCl 2 , are used respectively, using one‐pot co‐pyrolysis over the rangooncreeper fruit (RF) biomass template absorbed with the Fe‐PPy (Fe 3+ ‐bonded by polypyrrole matrix) and Fe‐bipyridine (Fe 3+ ‐bonded by 2,2‐bipyridine ligands). It is found that the resulting product Zn(NO 3 ) 2 ‐Fe/C/N@bio‐C provides bigger specific area and higher mesoporous volume ratio than those provided by ZnCl 2 ‐Fe/C/N@bio‐C. Zn(NO 3 ) 2 ‐Fe/C/N@bio‐C also exhibits better ORR property ( E 1/2 = 0.95 V, E onset = 0.86 V, and J L = 6.21 mA cm −2 ) in an alkaline medium compared to those of ZnCl 2 ‐Fe/C/N@bio‐C ( E onset = 0.89 V, E 1/2 = 0.77 V, and J L = 6.20 mA cm −2 ). This work provides useful guidance for designing and developing high‐performance non‐noble‐metal‐based bio‐carbon catalysts by a combination between regulating the distribution of the precursor of metal active sites and efficient Zn‐based activator.