Molecule-Level g-C 3 N 4 Coordinated Transition Metals as a New Class of Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Electrode Reactions

Organometallic complexes with metal–nitrogen/carbon (M–N/C) coordination are the most important alternatives to precious metal catalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR and OER) in energy conversion devices. Here, we designed and developed a range of molecule-level graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) coordinated transition metals (M–C3N4) as a new generation of M–N/C catalysts for these oxygen electrode reactions. As a proof-of-concept example, we conducted theoretical evaluation and experimental validation on a cobalt–C3N4 catalyst with a desired molecular configuration, which possesses comparable electrocatalytic activity to that of precious metal benchmarks for the ORR and OER in alkaline…

• AS
  Australian Synchrotron
• AR
  Australian Research Council

  Awards: DP160104866, DP140104062, DE160101163, DP170104464
• NC
  National Cancer Institute