Local Plant-Derived Carbon Sheets as Sustainable Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction as crucial factor occupy a key position for the practical application of oxygen-based energy systems. Developing robust materials with high catalytic performances remains a great and serious challenge for researchers. Herein, a novel type of porous nitrogen-containing carbon sheets transformed from a conveniently accessible and available plant biomass, Typha orientalis, are reported. The preparation involves H2SO4-assisted hydrothermal treatment in dilute acid medium, calcination, chemical activation and heteroatom-doping with melamine precursor. The final carbon has high surface area up to 1726 m2·g–1, abundant micropores, appropriate pore volume and 2.98% of N content with abundant carbon defects. Higher catalytic ability toward reduction of oxygen and excellent tolerance to methanol poisoning compared to that of 20% Pt/C are obtained in alkaline media for the carbon nanosheets. It also shows good catalytic performances for acidic oxygen reduction. This simple approach provides a low-cost, readily scalable and convenient route for the fabrication of electro catalytic materials from primary biomass. Broad applications may be expected in the fields of storage and conversion systems of renewable energy.