Nitrogen‐Rich, Well‐Dispersed Nanoporous Carbon Materials for Super‐Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Abstract Nitrogen‐doped carbon with a well‐dispersed and three‐dimensional porous network structure has been fabricated for efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) by using polyacrylamide (PAM) and graphene oxide (GO) as well as a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) as raw materials. The PAM is favorable for the formation of three‐dimensional porous structures, while high‐temperature carbonization of the ZIF results in well‐dispersed microporous carbon. Among them, Zn‐Z/P0.6/G‐T calcined at 800 °C with a PAM concentration of 60 % shows the largest specific surface area (1,458 m 2 /g) and best ORR performance in 0.1 M KOH, giving an onset potential of 0.918 V (vs. RHE), which is even more positive than Pt/C (0.902 V vs. RHE), demonstrating its superior ORR capability. The ORR performance can be further improved by incorporating cobalt into the composite (denoted Co‐Z/P0.6/G‐T), and this can be prepared by using cobalt nitrate as a metal source. As an ORR catalyst, it exhibits a more positive onset potential (0.935 V vs. RHE) than Zn‐Z/P0.6/G‐T (0.918 V vs. RHE). The good ORR performance together with its long‐term stability and better methanol tolerance make it a promising non‐noble catalyst for fuel cell applications.