Ultrahigh oxygen reduction activity of Pt/nitrogen-doped porous carbon microspheres prepared via spray-drying

Pt nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped porous carbon microspheres (Pt/CN) were synthesized via an in-situ spray-drying technique followed by calcination. The addition of ammonium hydroxide had a remarkable influence on the solution chemistry, which promoted the simultaneous formation of metallic Pt and nitrogen doping onto carbon support material. Furthermore, the precursor pH influenced the subsequent oxygen reduction activity of the product. Ultrahigh oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity was recorded for a catalyst prepared at a precursor pH of 8.4 with mass activity and specific activity were 564 mA mg−1 Pt and 834 μA cm−2 Pt, respectively. This investigation resulted in an effective strategy to escalate the catalyst ORR during limited catalyst surface area enhancement.

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► Pt/N-doped porous carbon was successfully synthesized via spray-drying method.
► Simultaneously modifying catalyst morphology during N-doping process.
► Pt NPs size was decreased with the increase of precursor pH.
► Ammonium hydroxide was used as N-doping agent.
► Ultrahigh ORR activity was recorded for a catalyst prepared at precursor pH 8.4.