Coprinus comatus-derived nitrogen-containing biocarbon electrocatalyst with the addition of self-generating graphene-like support for superior oxygen reduction reaction

• Published in: Science bulletin (Beijing) 2016-06, Vol.61 (12), p.948-958
• Main Authors: Guo, Chaozhong, Liao, Wenli, Li, Zhongbin, Sun, Lingtao, Ruan, Haibo, Wu, Qingshan, Luo, Qinghong, Huang, Jie, Chen, Changguo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Active site; Chemistry/Food Science; Coprinus comatus; Earth Sciences; Electrocatalysis; Engineering; Humanities and Social Sciences; Life Sciences; multidisciplinary; N-doped carbon; Oxygen reduction; Physics; Pt/C催化剂; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); 含氮; 氧还原反应; 生物质炭; 电催化剂; 电催化活性; 类石墨; 鸡腿菇
• ISSN: 2095-9273; 2095-9281
• DOI: 10.1007/s11434-016-1088-9

The development of nitrogen-rich biomass- derived carbon catalysts provides an attractive perspective to substitute for Pt-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction （ORR）. We here report a facile strategy for synthesis of a nitrogen-doped biocarbon/graphene-like composite electrocatalyst by pyrolyzing a solid-state mixture of coprinus comatus biomass and melamine under nitrogen protection. The graphtic carbon nitride formed by polycondensation of melamine at 600 ℃ acts as a self-sacrificing template to generate the nitrogen-doped graphene-like sheet, which can function as an inserting agent and self-generating support. The composite catalyst exhibits the most promising catalytic activity towards the four-electron ORR with a half-wave potential of around 0.83 V （vs. RHE）, and more excellent stability and tolerance to methanol/ethanol compared to the commercial Pt/C catalyst. It is interestingly found that both a higher content of nitrogen and a larger ratio of graphitic-nitrogen species, which may derive from self-addition of graphene-like support into the catalyst, can effectively improve theelectrocatalytic activity. The planar N group may be the nitrogen functionality that is most responsible for main-taining the ORR activity in alkaline medium. This study can largely encourage the exploration of high-performance carbon-based catalysts from economical and sustainable fungus biomass.