Functionalised cotton as effective metal-free catalyst for oxygen reduction prepared by impregnation method

[Display omitted] •Preparation of cheap bio-derived electrocatalysts by impregnation method.•Carbon networks rich in active sites are formed by polyaniline and silk proteins.•The electrocatalyst shows excellent ORR performance under alkaline electrolyte. From the perspective of sustainable development, the rational design of cost-effective and highly efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is conducive to promoting the commercial application of fuel cells. Here we report on a novel porous carbon network with excellent catalytic activity. Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon networks were synthesized by impregnation method using sustainable cotton fibers (CF) as templete. After pyrolysis, the specific surface area of PANI-SF@CF materials reaches 857.9 m2/g. The obtained metal-free electrocatalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity (Eonset = 1.1 V, JL = 6.83 mA cm−2) and long-term stability in alkaline media. Overall, this simple preparation strategy provides new avenues for the exploration of low-cost electrocatalysts.