title: Lamellar Metal Organic Framework-Derived Fe-N-C Non-Noble Electrocatalysts with Bimodal Porosity for Efficient Oxygen Reduction.
abstract: Developing highly efficient and stable non-Pt electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to replace the state-of-the-art noble metal is essential for commercialization of fuel cells. Fe-N-C-based electrocatalysts are considered as a promising alternative to commercial Pt/C. An efficient electrocatalyst commonly requires large density of active site, high surface area, and desirable porosity, especially multimodal porosity with both large pores for efficient mass transfer and small pores for exposing as many active sites as possible. Herein, a lamellar metal organic framework (MOF) was developed as a precursor to directly achieve such a highly active Fe-N-C electrocatalyst with high surface area and desirable bimodal porosity. The mesopores arising from the special lamellar morphology of MOF benefits efficient mass transfer, and the nanopores resulting from pyrolysis of the MOF makes the majority of active sites accessible to electrolyte and thus effective for ORR. Uniform distribution of active elements N, C, and Fe at the molecular level in MOF precursor ensures abundant well-dispersed highly active sites in the catalyst. As a result, the catalyst exhibited superior ORR electrocatalytic activity and stability to commercial Pt/C. This strategy, using rarely reported lamellar MOF to prepare ORR catalysts with the merits mentioned, could inspire the exploration of a wide range of electrocatalysts from lamellar MOF precursors for various applications.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, School of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum , Qingdao 266580, China.
authors.forename: Zhongtao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, School of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum , Qingdao 266580, China.
authors.forename: Hongdi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, School of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum , Qingdao 266580, China.
authors.forename: Liangqin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences and CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 2 North First Street, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Jie
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, School of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum , Qingdao 266580, China.
authors.forename: Mingbo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences and CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Nanostructure and Nanotechnology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences , 2 North First Street, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Song
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6268-0959
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hu
keywords: electrocatalysis; fuel cells; metal organic frameworks; nanostructures; oxygen reduction reaction