Volatile guest molecule mediated strategy to convert covalent organic framework into nitrogen, sulfur-doped carbon as metal-free oxygen reduction electrocatalysts

Covalent organic framework (COF) derived metal-free carbon materials have emerged as promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, a volatile guest molecule mediated-pyrolysis strategy was explored on a designed thiophene-rich and imine-linked COF. Through the modulation of guest mediators (iodine and sulfur), the properties of the as-obtained carbon materials can be well regulated. The optimized nitrogen and sulfur dual-doped carbon electrocatalyst demonstrates remarkable ORR activity with a half-wave potential of 0.87 V and impressive durability, with only an 8% current loss over 21 h. The corresponding assembled zinc-air battery has a comparable power density (60 mW cm-2) to that of the commercial Pt/C. It is proposed that the coexistence of the guest mediators iodine and sulfur in the channels of COFs could prevent the loss of N species. The enhanced N content and N/S ratio are assumed to be responsible for the ORR performance. This study puts forward a novel strategy to prepare COF-derived carbon materials mediated by volatile guest molecules, which may provide new insights into the development of metal-free ORR catalysts.