High-rate oxygen electroreduction over graphitic-N species exposed on 3D hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbons

Nitrogen-doped species (NDs) are theoretically accepted as a determinant of the catalytic activity of metal-free N-doped carbon (NC) catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, direct relationships between ND type and ORR activity have been difficult to extract because the complexity of carbon matrix impairs efforts to expose specific NDs. Herein, we demonstrate the fabrication of a 3D hierarchically porous NC catalyst with micro-, meso-, and macroporosity in one structure, in which sufficient exposure and availability of inner-pore catalytic sites can be achieved due to its super-high surface area (2191 cm ²-g^-1) and interconnected pore system. More importantly, in-situ formation of graphitic-N species (GNs) on the surface of NC stimulated by KOH activation enables us to experimentally reveal the catalytic nature of GNs for ORR, which is of great significance for the design and development of advanced metal-free NC electrocatalysts. Spotlighting nitrogen: Preferential exposure of graphitic-N species (GNs) on the surface of bi-continuous N-doped carbon (NC) films that feature hierarchically porous frameworks has been achieved. This unique design was used to identify the catalytic nature of GNs which paves the way to developing highly active metal-free NC electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction.