In-situ fabrication of bio-inspired nanocatalysts for enhanced oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media

Designing a fuel cell based on non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts with high reduction potential and stability against methanol/carbon monoxide (MeOH/CO) poisoning is quite challenging. Taking inspiration from naturally occurring enzymes, materials with earth-abundant metal centers embedded in organic framework helps to expedite the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) by providing more O2 adsorption sites through positively charged N atoms. Thus, herein, we have fabricated novel bioinspired nitrodopamine derived (NDA) N rich C coated bimetallic zeolitic imidazolate framework (NDA@BM-ZIF) through in-situ solvothermal synthesis approach. NDA@BM-ZIF based electrode offers high half wave potential value (E1/2 = 0.915 V) and high tolerance against MeOH poisoning (91.4%) even better than dopamine (DA) derived NC coated BM-ZIF (86.1%) and commercially available Pt/C (87.3%). The remarkable electrocatalytic efficacy of NDA@BM-ZIF could be ascribed to surface compatibility by providing positively charged O2 adsorption sites, increased surface defects and promote heterolytic O-O bond cleavage rather than homolytic cleavage thus resulting in fast electron transportation capability.