文摘
Developing highly active metal-free oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with strong durability is crucial for a variety of renewable energy applications including fuel cells and metal鈥揳ir batteries. Herein, we synthesized boron and nitrogen codoped nanodiamond (BND) as a highly efficient metal-free catalyst for ORR under alkaline conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) demonstrated that B and N atoms have been incorporated in the diamond. The resultant BND was found to be advantageous over N- or B-doped diamond for ORR in terms of current density and peak potential, highlighting the synergetic effects of codoping with B and N. Meanwhile, BND outperformed the commercial Pt/C catalyst in terms of kinetic current density, stability, and methanol tolerance. The zinc鈥揳ir battery with BND as air cathode catalyst showed higher power density (at current density above 18.0 mA cm鈥?) and better rechargeability than those with a commercial Pt/C catalyst.