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Research Article

Self-templated formation of cobalt-embedded hollow N-doped carbon spheres for efficient oxygen reduction

Ayaz Mahsud1,§, Jianian Chen1,§, Xiaolei Yuan2,§, Fenglei Lyu1( ), Qixuan Zhong1, Jinxing Chen1,3, Yadong Yin3, Qiao Zhang1( )
Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Joint International Research Laboratory of Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, 199 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong, 9 Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, China
Department of Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering program, and UCR Center for Catalysis, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA

§ Ayaz Mahsud, Jianian Chen, and Xiaolei Yuan contributed equally to this work.

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Abstract

The slow kinetics at the cathode of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) seriously limits the efficiencies of fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Pt, the state-of-the-art ORR electrocatalyst, suffers from high cost, low earth abundance, and poor stability. Here a self-templated strategy based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is proposed for the fabrication of hollow nitrogen-doped carbon spheres that are embedded with cobalt nanoparticles (Co/HNC). The Co/HNC manifests better ORR activities, methanol tolerance, and stability than commercial Pt/C. The high ORR performance of Co/NHC can be attributed to the hollow structure which provides enlarged electrochemically active surface area, the formation of more Co-N species, and the introduction of defects. This work highlights the significance of rational engineering of MOFs for enhanced ORR activity and stability and offers new routes to the design and synthesis of high-performance electrocatalysts.

Keywords

cobaltself-templatedmetal organic frameworkhollow sphereoxygen reduction reaction

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Nano Research
Volume 14 Issue 8,
August 2021
Pages 2819-2825
DOI: 10.1007/s12274-021-3292-4
Cite this article:
Mahsud A, Chen J, Yuan X, et al. Self-templated formation of cobalt-embedded hollow N-doped carbon spheres for efficient oxygen reduction. Nano Research, 2021, 14(8): 2819-2825. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3292-4
Topics:
Air batteriesCarbonCobaltDoping (additives)ElectrocatalystsElectrolytic reduction Fuel cellsMetal nanoparticlesMetalsOrganic frameworks OrganometallicsOxygenSynthesis (chemical)

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Received: 13 January 2020
Revised: 15 November 2020
Accepted: 09 December 2020
Published: 05 January 2021
© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
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