N-doped porous carbon derived from biomass as an advanced electrocatalyst for aqueous aluminium/air battery

A metal-free N-doped porous carbon (N-PC) derived from tapioca was fabricated and used as an enhanced electrocatalyst for aqueous metal/air battery. The electrochemical performance of N-doped porous carbon material as well as undoped porous carbon (PC) was studied by galvanostatic discharge measurements and steady-state linear polarization. Because of the existence of doping N atom, the N-PC exhibits a nice electrocatalytic activity in alkaline solutions. In addition, the N-PC loaded air electrode performs a high discharge voltage of 1.36 V at a current density of 50 mA cm−2 in aluminium/air battery, which should be attributed to highly efficient, new and active sites created by N doping. N-PC could be used as an advanced electrocatalyst for high power aluminium/air battery.