Hierarchically Porous Heteroatoms‐doped Vesica‐like Carbons as Highly Efficient Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Zn‐air Batteries

• Published in: ChemCatChem Vol. 10; no. 22; pp. 5297 - 5305
• Main Authors: Ren, Jin‐Tao, Yuan, Ge‐Ge, Weng, Chen‐Chen, Chen, Lei, Yuan, Zhong‐Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 22.11.2018
• Subjects: Chemical synthesis; electrocatalysis; Electrocatalysts; heteroatoms; Metal air batteries; oxygen evolution; Oxygen evolution reactions; oxygen reduction; Oxygen reduction reactions; porous carbon; Rechargeable batteries; Structural hierarchy
• ISSN: 1867-3880; 1867-3899
• DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201801482

Developing highly efficient and cost‐effective electrocatalysts to boost the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is vital for the sustainable energy systems. The nitrogen and phosphorus codoped vesica‐like carbons with hierarchical nanoporous structure are synthesized through an efficient self‐polymerization strategy with the template of g‐C3N4 monolith. Featuring sufficient heteroatom‐doping, well‐developed porous hierarchy, and high electrochemical surface area, the fabricated carbon materials exhibit considerable activity and robust stability in both electrocatalyzing ORR and OER, in competition with the precious metal electrocatalysts, which are thus capable of using as air cathode catalysts for rechargeable Zn‐air batteries, affording large discharge current density and impressive operation stability. Get on top of your electrocat: Hierarchically porous heteroatoms‐doped vesica‐like carbons were synthesized through a polymerization‐carbonization approach using g‐C3N4 as template, exhibiting considerable performance towards ORR and OER.