N-doped ordered mesoporous carbons prepared by a two-step nanocasting strategy as highly active and selective electrocatalysts for the reduction of O sub(2) to H sub(2)O sub(2)

A new, two-step nanocasting method was developed to prepare N-doped ordered mesoporous carbon (NOMC) electrocatalysts for the reduction of O sub(2) to H sub(2)O sub(2). Our strategy involves the sequential pyrolysis of two inexpensive and readily available N and C precursors, i.e. aniline and dihydroxynaphthalene (DHN), inside the pores of a SBA-15 hard silica template to obtain N-doped graphitic carbon materials with well-ordered pores and high surface areas (764 and 877 m super(2)g super(-1)). By tuning the ratio of carbon sources to silica template, it was possible to achieve an optimal filling of the pores of the SBA-15 silica and to minimise carbon species outside the pores. These NOMC materials displayed outstanding electrocatalytic activity in the oxygen reduction reaction, achieving a remarkably enhanced kinetic current density compared to state-of-the-art N-doped carbon materials (-16.7 mA cm super(-2) at -0.35 V vs. Ag/AgCl in a 0.1 M KOH solution as electrolyte). The NOMC electrocatalysts showed high selectivity toward the two-electron reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide and excellent long-term stability.