Electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a significant reaction in many energy conversion and storage system including metal-air batteries and fuel cells. Efficient and sustainable ORR catalysts have been required to replace platinum-based catalysts. Considering that, sustainable and abundant biomass-derived catalysts have captured attention for the viability of energy conversion/storage devices including fuel cells and metal-air batteries. However, the practical use of biomass-derived catalysts was hindered by their low activity. In this study, N, S-co-doped porous carbon were prepared from activation of bamboo stems following doping process. As cathode materials for Zn-air batteries and anion exchange membrane fuel cells, the N, S-co-doped carbon exhibits excellent performance, based on its superior ORR activity when compared to the previously reported carbon-based catalysts. These excellent performances result in adequate micro/mesoporosity and the presence of sufficient active sites. This work will provide sustainable and efficient strategies to design high-performance catalysts for ORR and demonstrate the capability of applying the biomass-derived catalysts into practical devices.

Pore controlled heteroatom-doped carbon as oxygen reduction catalysts

2019 Fall National Meeting

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