Highly efficient metal-free phosphorus-doped platelet ordered mesoporous carbon for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction

Abstract

Platinum-free electrocatalysts especially, various heteroatom-doped carbon nanostructures have attracted particular attraction as plausible solution for commercializing fuel cell technology. In this direction, novel phosphorus-doped platelet ordered mesoporous carbon (P-pOMC) is developed for the first time as metal-free electrocatalyst for alkaline oxygen reduction reaction. The P-pOMC is synthesized by nanocasting method using platelet ordered mesoporous silica as template. Various characterizations reveal that the P-pOMC materials have covalently bound P atoms with carbon framework for facilitation of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and also have very high surface area with uniform distribution of short mesoporous channels for unhindered mass transfer. Combination of P doping and excellent surface properties empowers the newly-developed P-pOMC catalyst to show high ORR activity nearly equal to that of state of the art Pt catalyst along with superior long-term stability and excellent methanol tolerance. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.