High porosity nitrogen and phosphorous Co-doped carbon nanosheets as an efficient catalyst for oxygen reduction

High porosity nitrogen and phosphorous co-doped carbon nanosheets with high surface area (1057.9 m2 g−1) are fabricated by using polyacrylonitrile and red phosphorous as the precursors. The catalyst exhibits outstanding catalytic performance towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with its half-wave potential 35 mV more superior to that of Pt/C. In addition to high ORR performance, our catalyst also exhibits remarkable methanol tolerance, outstanding stability, as well as high catalytic efficiency (almost 100% selectivity towards four-electron path). Based on the characterization results, we find that moderate P introduction can significantly modify catalysts N compositions, as well as porous structures, which, we suggest, should be the proper origins to our catalyst's outstanding performance.