A Pyrolysis-Free Covalent Organic Polymer for Oxygen Reduction

Highly efficient electrocatalysts derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) have been developed. However, the subsequent pyrolysis is often needed owing to their poor intrinsic electrical conductivity, leading to undesirable structure changes and destruction of the original fine structure. Now, hybrid electrocatalysts were formed by self-assembling pristine covalent organic polymer (COP) with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The electrical conductivity of the hybridized COP/rGO materials is increased by more than seven orders of magnitude (from 3.06 x 10(-9) to 2.56 x 10(-1) Sm-1) compared with pure COPs. The ORR activities of the hybrid are enhanced significantly by the synergetic effect between highly active COP and highly conductive rGO. This COP/rGO hybrid catalyst exhibited a remarkable positive half-wave (150 mV).