Tungsten Nitride-Cobalt Anchored in N-Doped Ordered Porous Carbon as an Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalyst

We prepared a non-precious-metal tungsten nitride-cobalt (WN-Co) electrocatalyst anchored in nitrogen-doped ordered porous carbon (NOPC) through an in situ method. The WN-Co/NOPC electrocatalyst possesses good oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) capability in alkaline media, including a high onset potential of −132 mV, a dominant four-electron process, and a superior stability (onset potential and limiting current density were almost unchanged after 5000 cycles in 0.1 m KOH). The improved ORR performance was comparable to that of WN/NOPC and Co/NOPC with regard to three aspects: the even dispersion and uniform size of electrocatalyst particles provide more reactive sites; the nitrogen doping, high specific surface area and highly ordered mesoporous channel of catalyst support (NOPC) are conducive to the infiltration of the electrolyte; the existence of WN reinvests the catalyst with good stability, and the anchored configuration of WN and Co in the NOPC will prevent the particles from agglomerating after a long-term cycle, thereby improving the stability of the catalyst particles.