Edge reconfiguration of N, P-codoped carbon boosts oxygen reduction electrocatalysis

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2021-12, Vol.56 (35), p.19577-19588
• Main Authors: Lai, Qingxue, Wei, Keyan, Tang, Zeming, Liu, Xingjiang, Zheng, Jing, Liang, Yanyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Configurations; Conversion; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Design defects; Electrocatalysts; Energy Materials; Graphitization; Materials Science; Nanomaterials; Oxygen reduction reactions; Polymer Sciences; Reconfiguration; Selectivity; Solid Mechanics
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-021-06484-y

Conversion of heteroatom-doped sites to carbon defects has been developed recently as an efficient strategy to build advanced metal-free carbon electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, precise control of the configuration conversion to achieve highly active ORR configurations still remains a great challenge to date. Herein, an edge reconfiguration strategy was proposed for N, P-codoped carbon (NPC) to build heteroatom-doped defective carbon system for ORR. Through the thermally induced edge reconfiguration, the ORR activity, 4e − selectivity and stability of prepared NPC materials were significantly improved. Physical characterizations demonstrated that a half of N sites dominated with edge configurations and most P sites were converted to edge carbon defects. The finally econfigured edge nanostructures, consisting of abundant carbon defects, N-doped sites and graphitization-enhanced bulk carbon skeleton, were largely responsible for the improved ORR performance. This work will make an important contribution to the understanding of the edge configuration conversion mechanism and establishment of reasonable design principles of defective carbon-based nanomaterials for extensive electrocatalytic applications. Graphical abstract