Significant Contribution of Intrinsic Carbon Defects to Oxygen Reduction Activity

While the field of carbon-based metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has experienced great progress in recent years, the fundamental issue of the origin of ORR activity is far from being clarified. To date, the ORR activities of these electrocatalysts are usually attributed to different dopants, while the contribution of intrinsic carbon defects has been explored little. Herein, we report the high ORR activity of the defective carbon nanocages, which is better than that of the B-doped carbon nanotubes and comparable to that of the N-doped carbon nanostructures. Density functional theory calculations indicate that pentagon and zigzag edge defects are responsible for the high ORR…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 51232003, 21203092, 51571110, 21373108, 21173115, 21473089
• MO
  Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China

  Award: 2013CB932902