Synthesis and electrocatalytic activity of phosphorus and Co co-doped mesoporous carbon for oxygen reduction

•P-Co-MC was synthesized with a soft template for the first time;•P-Co-MC exhibits high catalytic activity for the ORR comparable to Pt/C;•High activity of P-Co-MC arises from synergistic effect of P and Co doping in carbon.

Phosphorus and Co co-doped mesoporous carbon (P–Co-MC) has been prepared using a soft template. The P–Co-MC exhibits high catalytic activity comparable to commercial Pt/C and long-term stability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in basic media. The high activity of P–Co-MC for the ORR is mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of P and Co doping in carbon.