Heteroatom-Doped Graphitic Carbon Catalysts for Efficient Electrocatalysis of Oxygen Reduction Reaction

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) plays an important role in renewable energy technologies, such as fuel cells and metal–air batteries. Along with the extensive research and development of nonprecious metal catalysts (NPMCs) to reduce/replace Pt for electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen, a new class of heteroatom-doped metal-free carbon catalysts has been recently developed, which, as alternative ORR catalysts, could dramatically reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of fuel cells and metal–air batteries. The improved catalytic performance of heteroatom-doped carbon ORR catalysts has been attributed to the doping-induced charge redistribution around the heteroatom dopants, which lowered the ORR…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Defense
• DO
  Division of Materials Research

  Award: DMR 1106160
• DO
  Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation

  Awards: CMMI-1400274, CMMI-1266295
• DO
  Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships

  Award: AIR-IIP-1343270
• AF
  Air Force Office of Scientific Research

  Award: FA9550-12-1-0037