One-pot synthesis of two-dimensional porphyrin-based polymer and derived N-doped porous carbon as efficient oxygen reduction catalysts

Abstract

This work describes the synthesis and functions of a two-dimensional porous polymer based on porphyrin. Upon condensation, coordination and treatment with high temperature, porphyrin-based porous carbon nanosheets were obtained with the high specific surface area of 466 m2 g-1. Benefiting from its high surface area, co-doping with iron/nitrogen and hierarchical porous structure, the optimised example exhibits excellent electrochemical performance for the oxygen reduction reaction under alkaline conditions with a low half-wave potential of 0.73 V (lower than 0.78 V for Pt/C), a dominant four-electron transfer mechanism (n = 3.97 at 0.64 V) and a high diffusion limiting current density of 5.27 mA cm-2