Nitrogen-doped porous carbon materials are considered as one of the most promising catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, in order to further improve the activity of the nitrogen-doped porous carbon, Ag/Co bimetal is embedded into nitrogendoped porous carbon to form Ag/Co-embedded nitrogen-doped porous carbon material (AgCo@NC). The AgCo@NC was derived by the wet impregnation of Ag+ into ZIF-67 precursor, followed by chemical reduction and a subsequent pyrolysis process under Ar atmosphere at different temperatures (500 ℃, 600 ℃, 700 ℃). The morphologic characterization shows that the Ag/Co nanoparticles were successfully embedded in the mesoporous carbon framework with abundant nitrogen atoms. The electrochemical test results indicate that the AgCo@NC-600 catalyst exhibited the higher onset potential and half-wave potential than thods of others and Pt/C in alkaline media. Furthermore, the AgCo@NC and Co@NC also displayed the higher methanol-tolerance performance than commercial Pt/C.
Graphical Abstract
Keywords
oxygen reduction reaction, ZIF-67, N-doped porous carbon, Ag nanoparticles