Recent Progress in ZIF‐Derived Carbons for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysis

Abstract

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) represents a cornerstone for many clean energy conversion technologies such as fuel cells and metal‐air batteries. Nevertheless, the commercialization of these technologies is largely impeded by the slow kinetics of ORR, for which active, durable and cost‐effective ORR catalysts are needed. In recent years, zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) derived carbon materials emerge as a new class of non‐precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) toward ORR, largely benefiting from their high surface area, abundant porosity, tunable chemical/electronic structure, and superior ORR activity which is comparable or even surpasses those state‐of‐the‐art Pt‐based ORR catalysts. This review provides an in‐depth overview of the latest developments in ZIF‐derived carbons toward ORR. The synthetic strategies of the ZIF‐derived carbon materials and the key factors that determine the ORR performance are highlighted. Future research directions and perspectives on exploring ZIF derived carbons as efficient ORR catalysts are provided with an emphasis on the principles in rationally engineering the coordination structures of active sites.