Lattice Distortion and H-passivation in Pure Carbon Electrocatalysts for Efficient and Stable Two-electron Oxygen Reduction to H O.

The exploration of inexpensive and efficient catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for chemical and energy industries. Carbon materials have been proved promising with different catalysts enabling 2 and 4e ORR. Nevertheless, their ORR activity and selectivity is still complex and under debate in many cases. Many structures of these active carbon materials are also chemically unstable for practical implementations. Unlike the well-discussed structures, this work presents a strategy to promote efficient and stable 2e ORR of carbon materials through the synergistic effect of lattice distortion and H-passivation (on the distorted structure). We show how these structures can be formed on carbon cloth, and how the reproducible chemical adsorption can be realized on these structures for efficient and stable H O production. The work here gives not only new understandings on the 2e ORR catalysis, but also the robust catalyst which can be directly used in industry.