Engineering electron-deficiency and wettability of Cu-based catalysts using arylamine ligands to promote electrocatalytic oxygen reduction

Regulating the electronic structure and surface properties of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts is vital for improving their performance. Herein, Cu-based catalysts were modulated with arylamine ligands, which induced electron delocalization from the Cu-N centre to carbon black and enhanced surface wettability. The benzenetetramine (BTA) ligand with more amino groups and fewer conjugated rings promoted the 4e ORR pathway with 97.8% selectivity. This study provides insights for designing efficient molecular ORR electrocatalysts.