Hierarchically porous carbons fabricated by dual pore-forming approach for the oxygen reduction reaction

The hierarchical pore structures of porous carbons are significant for their catalytic performances of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The template approach is the typical pore-forming pathway of porous carbons. Generally, the pore-forming templates are individually used to create the mesopores or macropores of carbons. Herein, the nanoscale melamine resin spheres (NMRSs) are employed as the mesopore template and the in situ reduced metallic zinc is functioned as the micropore template to enhance the micropores in the meanwhile. Few report is found to create the mesopores by a template and concurrently to make the micropores by another template within the same carbon material. As a demonstration, the zinc nitrate-containing polydopamine encapsulated NMRSs are pyrolyzed to prepare the hierarchically porous doped carbons with high specific surface area, which exhibit excellent catalytic performances for ORR. This dual pore-making strategy is a powerful tool for the fabrication of high-performance porous carbons.