Preparation of three-dimensional Fe–N co-doped open-porous carbon networks as an efficient ORR electrocatalyst in both alkaline and acidic media

Abstract It is of significant importance to construct the low-cost, efficient, and stable carbon-based non-noble metal to replace the noble metal electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in both alkaline and acidic media. In this work, a straightforward and cost-efficient strategy is reported to synthesize the Fe–N co-doped open-porous carbon materials with three-dimensional (3D) carbon networks structure, high surface areas and multiple actives sites including iron carbide nanoparticles, pyridinic N, and graphitic N using a new kind of Fe-Imace coordinated complex as the precursor and melamine as nitrogen sources by direct pyrolysis. The obtained Fe–N–C 900 catalyst shows excellent oxygen reduction performance in both alkaline (Eonset, 1.014 vs. RHE) and acidic (Eonset, 0.982 V vs. RHE) media, which are better than those of the Pt/C in alkaline (Eonset, 0.986 vs. RHE) and acidic media (Eonset, 0.979 V vs. RHE). Even more important, the stability and methanol tolerance of the Fe–N–C 900 catalyst are much better than that of the Pt/C catalyst in both alkaline and acidic media. All the results demonstrate that the present facile and universal one-step pyrolytic strategy can be used to synthesize catalyst materials as one of the superior non-precious cathode electrocatalysts for fuel cells.