Natural phosphorus-doped honeycomb carbon materials as oxygen reduction catalysts derived from Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel

Abstract

Facile phosphorus (P)-doped carbon materials based on Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel (PCR) were directly used in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The half-peak potential of PCR carbonized at 1000 °C (PCR-1000) was 30 mV lower than that of the commercial Pt/C (20%) catalysts. The PCR-1000 showed 87.0% of the initial current density after 20 000 s stable testing at the rotation of 1600 rpm in O₂-saturated 0.1 M KOH. This study provides a method for the preparation of P-doped ORR catalysts derived from biomass. In addition, the honeycomb structure carbon materials can also provide a carrier for other applications including composite catalysts in fuel cells and electrode materials in supercapacitors.