Fabricating high-loading Fe-N4 single-atom catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction by carbon-assisted pyrolysis of metal complexes

Iron-based single-atom catalysts with nitrogen-doped carbon as support (Fe-SA/NPC) are considered effective alternatives to replace Pt-group metals for scalable application in fuel cells. However, synthesizing high-loading Fe-SA by a simple procedure remains challenging. Herein, we report (7.5 wt%) Fe-SA/NPC catalyst prepared carbon-assisted pyrolysis of metal complexes. Both the porous (NPC) high specific surface area and ?-phenylenediamine (o-PD) play key roles role preparation catalysts. The results X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy, absorption fine structure spectroscopy experiments show that Fe atoms anchored on carriers site configuration coordinated four doped nitrogen substrates (Fe-N4). activities oxygen reduction reaction increased increasing iron loading. optimized 250Fe-SA/NPC-800 exhibited an onset potential 0.97 V half-wave 0.85 V. Our study provides approach large-scale synthesis