Axial oxygen-bridged FeN4O/NC produced by ultrafast Joule heating for efficient oxygen reduction reaction

Herein, we report an atomically dispersed Fe-N-C catalyst with axial oxygen ligands (FeN₄O/NC) synthesized for the first time by ultrafast Joule heating. The formation of oxygen species between FeN₄ and graphene offers high activity and stability for the ORR. The calculations indicate that FeN₄O/NC offers an optimal adsorption-desorption of oxygen-containing intermediates, providing a promising approach to designing efficient single-atom electrocatalysts.