An Excellent Fe, N Co‐Doped Porous Biomass Carbon Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalyst: Effect of Zinc‐Based Activators on Catalytic Activity. Issue 10 (8th September 2020) - Li, Yecheng
Abstract : 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(NO3 )2 and ZnCl2, 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(NO3 )2 ‐Fe/C/N@bio‐C provides bigger specific area and higher mesoporous volume ratio than those provided by ZnCl2 ‐Fe/C/N@bio‐C. Zn(NO3 )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 ZnCl2 ‐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. Abstract : A high‐performance oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst is developed by an iron cation double isolated strategy with Zn(NO3 )2 activating agent.