Premium
Active Sites Engineering toward Superior Carbon‐Based Oxygen Reduction Catalysts via Confinement Pyrolysis
Author(s) -
Wang Sidi,
He Qun,
Wang Changda,
Jiang Hongliang,
Wu Chuanqiang,
Chen Shuangming,
Zhang Guobin,
Song Li
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201800128
Subject(s) - catalysis , pyrolysis , carbon fibers , materials science , nanoparticle , nanomaterial based catalyst , electrochemistry , chemical engineering , oxygen reduction , metal , nanotechnology , oxygen , chemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , composite number , metallurgy , composite material , engineering
Developing efficient and low‐cost defective carbon‐based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is essential to metal–air batteries and fuel cells. Active sites engineering toward these catalysts is highly desirable but challenging to realize boosted catalytic performance. Herein, a sandwich‐like confinement route to achieve the controllable regulation of active sites for carbon‐based catalysts is reported. In particular, three distinct catalysts including metal‐free N‐doped carbon (NC), single Co atoms dispersed NC (Co–N–C), and Co nanoparticles‐contained Co–N–C (Co/Co–N–C) are controllably realized and clearly identified by synchrotron radiation‐based X‐ray spectroscopy. Electrochemical measurements suggest that the Co/Co–N–C catalyst delivers optimized ORR performance due to the rich Co–N x active sites and their synergistic effect with metallic Co nanoparticles. This work provides deep insight for rationally designing efficient ORR catalyst based on active sites engineering.