Renewable and Metal-Free Carbon Derived from Aquatic Scindapsus Affording Meso-microporosity, Large Interface, and Enriched Pyridinic-N for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction Catalysis

摘要

An efficient, renewable, and economic electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is particularly important for next-generation fuel cells and metal-air batteries, and yet this remains a great challenge. In this contribution, we propose a facile and scalable route to the meso-microporous carbon with high specific surface area and enriched pyridinic nitrogen on the basis of direct carbonization of aquatic Scindapsus prior to ammonia injection. The metal-free catalyst proved to be an excellent electrocatalyst for the ORR in alkaline solutions, in terms of the onset potential and limited diffusion current density. It is comparable to a commercial Pt/C catalyst, arising from the large interface and heavy nitrogen doping. In addition to the robust stability against methanol poisoning and long-term operation, this carbonaceous catalyst provides a scalable and economic alternative choice for construction of high-performance ORR-based energy devices at a low cost, which may propel the applications of emerging green energy technologies.