The role of iron in the preparation and oxygen reduction reaction activity of nitrogen-doped carbon

It has been considered that the presence of Fe-N in the carbon network helps to enhance oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of the carbon. In this study, N-doped platelet ordered mesoporous carbon is prepared using Fe-phthalocyanine as a single precursor for nitrogen, iron and carbon sources. We show that the physical presence of Fe is not necessary to enhance the ORR activity of N-doped carbon, although Fe is required to create more active sites and to increase the electrical conductivity in the carbon framework.