Shale-oil-based nitrogen-doped porous carbon as efficient metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

Nitrogen-doped carbon materials were synthesized using shale oil as a precursor. The materials have unique hierarchical structures consisting of interconnected micropores, mesopores, and macropores, and exhibit a maximum specific surface area of 836 m2 g−1, which guarantee fast mass transport and electron transfer and accelerate oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) via efficient four-electron transfer pathway. The incorporation of pyridinic and graphitic N endows the materials with excellent catalytic activity for the ORR, and their performance as well as stability and methanol tolerance exceed that of commercial Pt/C catalysts. Thus, the synthesized materials show promise as metal-free electrocatalysts for fuel cells.