Fe/N co-doped mesoporous carbon nanomaterial as an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

In this study, efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), 3D Fe/N co-doped mesoporous carbon nanomaterials (Fe-N-C) are synthesized by inexpensive precursors i.e. tris-(hydroxymethy)-aminomethane, citric acid and ferric chloride by a facile pyrolysis method under temperature from 750 to 950 °C. In these prepared Fe-N-C-750, Fe-N-C-850, Fe-N-C-950 and N-C-850 catalysts, Fe-N-C-850 catalyst demonstrates the best ORR catalytic activity with relatively positive onset potential of 0.92 V, higher current density, long-time stability, better poisoning resistance to methanol and a near direct four-electron reaction pathway in alkaline solution. All the best performance of Fe-N-C-850 are attributed to the co-presence of Fe3C, Fe-N and pyridinic N active sites. These results suggest that the as-prepared Fe-N-C-850 catalyst is a facile accessible and efficient ORR catalyst for fuel cell applications.