Platinum Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Nitrogen‐Doped Mesoporous Carbons as Methanol‐Tolerant Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts

Abstract

Abstract Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) encapsulated in nitrogen‐doped mesoporous carbons (NMCs) are prepared by direct carbonization of zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8)‐encapsulated Pt NPs, and used as a methanol‐tolerant oxygen reduction electrocatalyst. ZIF‐8 is used as the carbon and nitrogen precursors and as a matrix for Pt NPs. The obtained Pt NP–NMC hybrids are characterized in detail. The results show that the Pt NP–NMC hybrids possess high surface area (1226 m 2 g −1 ), abundant mesopores with narrow pore size distribution (centered at 3.9 nm), nitrogen doping (5.13 at %), and small and well‐dispersed encapsulated Pt NPs (3.7 nm). Furthermore, the prepared Pt NP–NMC catalyst exhibits high electrocatalytic activity, high stability and excellent methanol tolerance in the oxygen reduction reaction.