Microwave-assisted pyrolysis of leaves as a catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction.

In this study, biomimetic Mg-N -C from leaves were mixed with carbon black (L/C catalyst), in which the mixture was treated by a conventional microwave oven at 700 W and 2 min, exhibiting high catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). By using a microwave-assisted process, it not only offers a cheaper and faster way to synthesize the catalyst compared to the conventional furnace process but also avoids the decomposition of the N-structure. Using the optimized conditions, the L/C catalyst exhibits an electron transfer number of 3.