Carbon dots self-decorated heteroatom-doped porous carbon with superior electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction. (1st March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liang, Kaixin; Wang, Liqiang; Xu, Ying; Fang, Yong; Fang, Yin; Xia, Wei; Liu, You-Nian
• Is Part Of: Electrochimica acta. Volume 335(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-03-01
• Subjects: Carbon dots-decorating -- Heteroatom dopant -- Porous carbon -- Oxygen reduction -- Zn-air battery; Electrochemistry -- Periodicals; Electrochemistry, Industrial -- Periodicals; 541.37
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2020.135666
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-4686

Abstract

Abstract: Developing advanced carbon materials as a metal-free electrocatalyst to replace noble metal-based one for, but not limited to, oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great allure but remains challenging. In this work, carbon dots (CDs) self-decorated, N, S codoped porous carbon (NSPC) was fabricated by alkali-assisted protein decomposition and reconstruction. Specifically, in hot alkaline solution, proteins hydrolyzed into protein fragments, and then part of the fragments formed highly crystalline CDs. After freeze-dried and pyrolyzed, the CDs-containing protein fragments were converted into CDs/NSPC composites. The as-prepared CDs/NSPC possesses rich edge, heteroatom-dopant, high porosity, and smooth electron transfer between CDs and NSPC, synergistically contributing to CDs/NSPC such an outstanding ORR catalytic performance that even outperforms Pt/C. Furthermore, CDs/NSPC was evaluated as an air electrode catalyst for Zn-air batteries with excellent stability and high-power density. Graphical abstract: Image 1