Promising N, P Co‐doped Porous Carbon Materials as Metal‐Free Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Medium

Abstract

Developing an efficient metal‐free electrocatalyst to compete with the noble metal‐based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great significance in the field of energy storage and conversion. We have designed a metal‐free electrocatalyst via dual doping of nitrogen and phosphorus in a porous carbon structure from a cyclotripolyphosphazene (CTP)‐based polymer. The optimized material (CTP‐800) demonstrates an excellent ORR catalytic performance with an onset potential of 0.89 V, a high limiting current density of 4.58 mA cm−2, and a favorable 4‐electrons mediated reaction mechanism in the KOH electrolyte. Moreover, the electrochemical stability, as well as methanol compatibility of CTP‐800, are superior to the commercially available Pt/C catalyst. The remarkable electrocatalytic performance of CTP‐800 can be credited to the high surface area with rich micropores/mesopores and homogenous distribution of heteroatoms.