ZIF-8 derived iron-, sulphur-, and nitrogen-doped catalysts for anion-exchange membrane fuel cell application

This study presents the preparation of tridoped Fe, N, S carbon-based catalysts using ZIF-8 as the main carbon source and iron(II)acetate, 1,10-phenanthroline, ammonia gas and thiourea as precursors for Fe, N and S elements. Thiourea was mixed via planetary ball-milling with a Fe-N-C catalyst prepared via inert gas pyrolysis, and different pyrolysis conditions were applied thereafter. The main goal of the work is to synthesise active non-precious metal electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). High electrocatalytic ORR activity in alkaline media was observed for the two materials obtained after thiourea addition and subsequent pyrolysis. Physico-chemical characterisation revealed successful S and N doping for all three catalysts with enhanced porosity for the two materials that were subjected to additional pyrolysis after the thiourea addition. The sulphur doping was highest for the FeNSC3 material that was subjected to a second pyrolysis in N2 and a third pyrolysis in NH3, compared to the FeNSC2 material that was subjected to a single pyrolysis in NH3 flow after thiourea addition. The ORR activity of FeNSC2 with half-wave potential of 0.88 V was slightly higher than that of FeNSC3, and the former was selected for evaluation as a cathode catalyst in anion-exchange membrane fuel cell.