Constructing N, P-dually doped biochar materials from biomass wastes for high-performance bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 278; p. 130508
• Main Authors: Ma, Lin-Lin, Hu, Xiao, Liu, Wu-Jun, Li, Hong-Chao, Lam, Paul K.S., Zeng, Raymond Jianxiong, Yu, Han-Qing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2021
• Subjects: Biochar; biomass; Biomass wastes; carbon; catalytic activity; durability; lignocellulose; methanol; oxygen; Oxygen evolution reaction; Oxygen reduction reaction; Pyrolysis; value added; Pyrolysis; Oxygen evolution reaction; Biochar; Biomass wastes; Oxygen reduction reaction
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130508

The large scale lignocellulosic biomass wastes could also be regarded as abundantly-available renewable resources, and how to convert them into value-added products via sustainable approaches is still a big challenge. In this work, we demonstrated a facile pyrolysis method to construct N, P-dually doped biochar materials from the lignocellulosic biomass wastes. The as-synthesized N, P-dually doped biochar samples could act as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR/OER), showing excellent catalytic performance and long-term durability, as well as robust tolerance to CO and methanol. The unique hierarchical porous structure, favorable electronic structure modified by the N and P doping, as well as a variety of defect sites induced by the N and P doping into the carbon framework were identified as the main contributions to the prominent catalytic activity of the as-synthesized N, P-dually doped biochar materials. We expect this work would spur more efforts into developing advanced materials from the large scale lignocellulosic biomass wastes. [Display omitted] •N, P doped biochar was synthesized via a facile thermochemical method from biomass wastes.•The N, P doped biochar exhibited robust bifunctional electrocatalytic activity.•The unique porous structure and electronic structure were attributed to its excellent activity.