Preparation and Characterization of the Electrocatalysts of Cobalt Atom Anchored on Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

doi:10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.250165

Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry ›› 2026, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (2): 226-234.DOI: 10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.250165

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Preparation and Characterization of the Electrocatalysts of Cobalt Atom Anchored on Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Rui-Tao CHAI¹, Guo ZHANG¹^,²()

^1.School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering，Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology，Xi'an 710055，China
^2.Institute for Interdisciplinary and Innovate Research，Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology，Xi'an 710055，China

Received:2025-04-17 Accepted:2025-11-04 Published:2026-02-01 Online:2026-03-06
Contact: Guo ZHANG
About author:zhangguo@xauat.edu.cn
Supported by:
the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21205092);the Natural Science Foundation of Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology(X20220084)

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Abstract

Abstract:

Due to the high cost， scarcity and low stability limiting the widespread application of the precious metal group （PMG） electrocatalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction （ORR）， it is of vital importance to develop outstanding non-precious transition metal alternatives. Herein， a highly stable and efficient cobalt-based catalyst， Co-N-C， was synthesized via the pyrolysis of a precursor of Co（acac）₂@ZIF-8， originating from Co（acac）₂ and zeolitic imidazolate frameworks （ZIF-8）. The as-synthesized Co-N-C not only possesses well-defined dodecahedral shape with large surface area and pore volume but also shows the excellent electrocatalytic activity towards ORR. The E_onset and E_1/2 in 0.1 mol/L KOH solution are 1.028 and 0.844 V（vs.RHE）， respectively. When injecting 5 mL of 1.0 mol/L methanol into the solution， there was almost no change in E_1/2. After 5000 cycles， E_1/2 has a slight decrease of about 15 mV.

Key words: Oxygen reduction reaction, Cobalt atom, Nitrogen-doped, Porous carbon

CLC Number:

O643.3

Rui-Tao CHAI, Guo ZHANG. Preparation and Characterization of the Electrocatalysts of Cobalt Atom Anchored on Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry, 2026, 43(2): 226-234.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig.1 Schematic illustration of the synthesis of Co-N-C for ORR electrocatalysis

Fig.2 （A） SEM image，（B， C） TEM images，（D， E） XPS spectra and （F） N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms plot of Co-N-C

Fig.3 （A） Element maps of HAADF-STEM （Co-blue， C-red， and N-green） and （B） EDX spectrum of Co-N-C

Fig.4 （A） Cyclic voltammetry curves of Co-N-C in Ar/O2-saturated 0.1 mol/L KOH at a speed of 50 mV/s；（B） Linear sweep voltammetry curve of Co-N-C and Ni-N-C in O2-saturated 0.1 mol/L KOH at a speed of 1600 r/min at a scanning rate of 5 mV/s， respectively

Fig.5 Linear sweep voltammetry curves of Co-N-C in O2-saturated 0.1 mol/L KOH and 0.1 mol/L KOH/1.0 mol/L CH3OH with methanol：（A） 5，（B） 10，（C） 15 and （D） 20 mL

Fig. 6 Linear sweep voltammetry curves of Co-N-C in O2-saturated 0.1 mol/L KOH before and after 5000 potential cycles

Table 1 Number of electron transfer （n） of Co-N-C towards ORR

E/V（vs.RHE）	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.8
n	3.64	3.67	3.69	3.72	3.76	3.82	3.91

Fig.7 Curves of hydrogen peroxide yield for Co-N-C and Ni-N-C

Table 2 Comparison of electrocatalytic activity toward ORR with different Co-based catalysts

Catalyst	E_onset/V（vs.RHE）	E_1/2/V（vs.RHE）	Ref.
aFP-TCoP/C	0.76	0.80	［17］
CoL （mass ratios 2∶1）	0.936	0.84	［3］
ZL 600 （mass ratio 3∶1）	0.91	0.79	［2］
ZIF-67@CoTMPP （800）	0.854	0.784	［21］
Co-NC （Zn₁₂-SiO₂［20］）-900	0.875	0.835	［13］
Co/NHCS-BCNT	0.941	0.814	［20］
BCTFCo-phen（OH）	0.89	0.80	［28］
Pt/C	0.98	0.81	［2］
Co-N-C	1.028	0.844	This work

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Preparation and Characterization of the Electrocatalysts of Cobalt Atom Anchored on Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction

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