Strongly Veined Carbon Nanoleaves as a Highly Efficient Metal-Free Electrocatalyst

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Vol. 53; no. 27; pp. 6905 - 6909
• Main Authors: Ye, Tian-Nan, Lv, Li-Bing, Li, Xin-Hao, Xu, Miao, Chen, Jie-Sheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.07.2014; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Edition: International ed. in English
• Subjects: Bacteria; biomass; Carbon; Carbon fibers; carbon nanofibers; Diffusion; electrocatalysts; Electron transfer; Graphene; leaf nanostructures; Nanofibers; Networks; Three dimensional; biomass; electrocatalysts; carbon nanofibers; graphene; leaf nanostructures
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201403363

Effective integration of one‐dimensional carbon nanofibers (CNF) and two‐dimensional carbon sheets into three‐dimensional (3D) conductive frameworks is essential for their practical applications as electrode materials. Herein, a novel “vein‐leaf”‐type 3D complex of carbon nanofibers with nitrogen‐doped graphene (NG) was prepared through a simple thermal condensation of urea and bacterial cellulose. During the formation of the 3D complex CNF@NG, the graphene species was tethered to CNF via carbon–carbon bonds. Such an interconnected 3D network facilitates both the electron transfer and mass diffusion for electrochemical reactions. “Green” leaves: A novel “vein‐leaf”‐type 3D complex of carbon nanofibers with nitrogen‐doped graphene (CNF@NG) was prepared through thermolysis of biomass materials. The interconnected 3D network of CNF@NG facilitates both the electron transfer and mass diffusion for electrochemical reactions. As a result, the CNF@NG complexes demonstrate remarkable electrocatalytic activities toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).