Solid phase microwave-assisted fabrication of Fe-doped ZIF-8 for single-atom Fe-N-C electrocatalysts on oxygen reduction

Fe-N-C endowed with inexpensiveness, high activity, and excellent anti-poisoning power have emerged as promising candidate catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Single-atom Fe-N-C electrocatalysts derived from Fe-doped ZIF-8 represent the top-level ORR performance. However, the current fabrication of Fe-doped ZIF-8 relies on heavy consumption of time, energy, cost and organic solvents. Herein, we develop a rapid and solvent-free method to produce Fe-doped ZIF-8 under microwave irradiation, which can be easily amplified in combination with ball-milling. After rational pyrolysis, Fe-N-C catalysts with atomic FeN4 sites well dispersed on the hierarchically porous carbon matrix are obtained, which exhibit exceptional ORR performance with a half-wave potential of 0.782 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and brilliant methanol tolerance. The assembled direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) endow a peak power density of 61 mW cm(-2) and extraordinary stability, highlighting the application perspective of this strategy. (C) 2020 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A rapid and solvent-free method was developed to produce Fe-doped ZIF-8, leading to Fe-N-C catalysts with exceptional ORR performance and brilliant methanol tolerance. The assembled direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) showed a peak power density of 61 mW cm(-2) and extraordinary stability, indicating the promising application perspective of this strategy.