A Facile Synthesis of Nitrogen/Sulfur Co‐Doped Graphene for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract

Abstract The design and fabrication of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts with high performance at low cost remains a big challenge but is crucial for the commercialization of fuel cells. Here, we report a simple and economical method for the direct mass production of nitrogen/sulfur co‐doped graphene (NS‐G) by using cysteine as single precursor and self‐assembled NaCl as a structure‐directing template through the solid‐phase pyrolysis method. The resultant NS‐G possesses a high specific surface area of 435.13 m 2 g −1 , effective N (1.85 at %) and S (0.99 at %) dual doping and enhanced conductivity, which contribute largely to the exposure of highly active sites and to the promotion of electron transport in the ORR process. Accordingly, the NS‐G exhibits excellent ORR performance with a positive half‐wave potential of 0.768 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode), four‐electron pathway, low Tafel slope of 60 mV dec −1 , and high stability in alkaline medium. These merits make NS‐G a promising alternative to costly Pt for ORR.