Single-crystalline mesoporous MO2N nanobelts with an enhanced electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction

We demonstrate mesoporous molybdenum nitride nanobelts as a cathode catalyst synthesized by a topotactic reaction process. The molybdenum nitride nanobelts exhibit a single-crystalline face-centered cubic Mo2N. Moreover, the molybdenum nitride nanobelts exhibit a mesoporous structure with similar to 4.3 nm as an average pore size and similar to 41.9 m(2) g(-1) as a specific surface area. The improved electrocatalytic activity of mesoporous molybdenum nitride nanobelts toward oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline solution might be mainly attributed to high specific surface area and mesoporous structure. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.