Versatile hyper-cross-linked polymer derived porous carbon nanotubes with tailored selectivity for oxygen reduction reaction

Exploring metal-free, highly active and durable electrocatalysts with tunable selectivity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) still remains a standing challenge. Herein, porous carbon nanotubes derived from a selfsupporting hyper-cross-linked polymer with tailored selectivity for efficient ORR are reported. The sulfurcontaining tubular polymer provides a versatile platform to fabricate diverse heteroatom doped porous carbon nanotubes. Attributed to the porous tubular morphology, abundant dopants and defects, the N-doped porous carbon nanotubes through pyrolysis under Ar-NH3 show excellent 4e(-) ORR performance with a half-wave potential (E-1/2) of 0.85 V. It also has superior stability and methanol tolerance. Meanwhile, the O, S co-doped porous carbon nanotubes through oxygen plasma treatment show enhanced 2e(-) ORR performance with a selectivity up to 85.4%, which is probably ascribed to the more C=O and COOH species introduced in the carbon matrix. This work not only provides a useful strategy to design and prepare efficient ORR catalysts, but also paves the avenue for the facile tailoring of selectivity in ORR process.

Automated summary

This study reports the fabrication of porous carbon nanotubes derived from a self-supporting hyper-cross-linked polymer, and the introduction of heteroatoms by pyrolysis and oxygen plasma treatment, resulting in highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic performance and tunable selectivity.