Fe-N-C Electrocatalysts with Densely Accessible Fe-N4 Sites for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Zhou Y, Chen G, Wang Q, Wang D, Tao X, Zhang T, Feng X, Mullen K (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Advanced Functional Materials Wiley-VCH Verlag

Book Volume: 31

Article Number: 2102420

Journal Issue: 34

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202102420

Abstract

The development of iron and nitrogen co-doped carbon (Fe-N-C) electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is a grand challenge due to the low density of accessible Fe-N4 sites. Here, an in situ trapping strategy using nitrogen-rich molecules (e.g., melamine, MA) is demonstrated to enhance the amount of accessible Fe-N4 sites in Fe-N-C electrocatalysts. The melamine molecules can participate in the coordination of Fe ions in zeolitic imidazolate frameworks to form Fe-N6 sites within precursors. These Fe-N6 sites are then converted into atomically dispersed Fe-N4 sites during a pyrolytic process. Remarkably, the Fe-N-C/MA exhibits a high single-atom Fe content (3.5 wt.%), a large surface area (1160 m2 g−1), and a high density of accessible FeN4 sites (45.7 × 1019 sites g−1). As a result, Fe-N-C/MA shows a much enhanced ORR activity with a half-wave potential of 0.83 V (vs the reversible hydrogen electrode) in a 0.5 m H2SO4 electrolyte solution and a good performance in a PEMFC system with an activity of 80 mA cm−2 at 0.8 V under 1.0 bar H2/air. This work offers a promising approach toward high-performance carbon-based ORR electrocatalysts.

Involved external institutions

Technische Universität Dresden DE Germany (DE) Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung (MPI-P) / Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research DE Germany (DE) Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) / 中国科学院 CN China (CN) Jiangsu University / 江苏大学 CN China (CN)

How to cite

APA:

Zhou, Y., Chen, G., Wang, Q., Wang, D., Tao, X., Zhang, T.,... Mullen, K. (2021). Fe-N-C Electrocatalysts with Densely Accessible Fe-N4 Sites for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction. Advanced Functional Materials, 31(34). https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202102420

MLA:

Zhou, Yazhou, et al. "Fe-N-C Electrocatalysts with Densely Accessible Fe-N4 Sites for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction." Advanced Functional Materials 31.34 (2021).

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