Nanosheets/Mesopore Structured Co₃O₄@CMK‐3 Composite as an Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract

Abstract The exploration of highly effective and low‐cost non‐noble‐metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) will have a significant impact on the area of fuel cells and metal–air batteries. Here, we report a facile, efficient, and environmentally friendly method to deposit transition metal oxide nanosheets (NSs) on the backbone of ordered mesoporous carbon (CMK‐3) by the pyrolysis of the metal‐precursor@CMK‐3. The optimized CMK‐3 catalyst with a coating of Co 3 O 4 NSs possesses a high surface area of 2396 m 2 g −1 and demonstrates an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the ORR in alkaline media, which is much better than that of other transition metal oxide@CMK‐3 catalysts and other carbon‐based catalysts (such as carbon nanotubes). In addition, the as‐prepared catalyst possesses a comparable electrochemical performance and a superior durability and higher tolerance to methanol compared with commercially available Pt/C, which can be ascribed to the distinctive structure of the nanosheets and mesopores, indicative of potential applications in metal–air batteries.