Mesoporous Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Support from ZIF-8 for Pt Catalysts in Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) has been extensively studied as a precursor for nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) materials due to its high surface area, tunable porosity, and adjustable nitrogen content. However, the intrinsic microporous structure of the ZIF-8 limits mass transport and accessibi...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/2/128 |
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| Summary: | Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) has been extensively studied as a precursor for nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) materials due to its high surface area, tunable porosity, and adjustable nitrogen content. However, the intrinsic microporous structure of the ZIF-8 limits mass transport and accessibility of reactants to active sites, reducing its effectiveness in electrochemical applications. In this study, a soft templating approach using a triblock copolymer was used to prepare mesoporous ZIF-8-derived NC (Meso-ZIF-NC) samples. The hierarchical porous structure was investigated by varying the ratios of Pluronic F-127, NaClO<sub>4</sub>, and toluene. The resulting Meso-ZIF-NC exhibited widespread pore size distribution with an enhanced mesopore (2–50 nm) volume according to the composition of the reaction mixtures. Pt nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on the Meso-ZIF-NC to form Pt/Meso-ZIF-NC catalysts, which presented a high electrochemical surface area and improved oxygen reduction reaction activity. The study highlights the important role of mesopore structure and nitrogen doping in enhancing catalytic performance, providing a pathway for advanced fuel cell catalyst design. |
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| ISSN: | 2079-4991 |