Beanpod-shaped Fe–C–N composite as promising ORR catalyst for fuel cells operated in neutral media

We have prepared a nanoporous Fe–C–N catalyst with promising ORR activity via a combined chemical precipitation and pyrolysis method. Cyanamide, Fe(NO3)3, and graphene oxide (GO) were used as the N, Fe, and C precursors, respectively. The synthesized Fe–C–N has a unique beanpod-shaped nanostructure with a specific surface area determined as 186 m2 g−1. Furthermore, a limiting current density of 6.1 mA cm−2 in phosphate buffer solution (PBS pH 7.0) was achieved, which is nearly twice that obtained with commercial Pt@C. The Fe–C–N catalyst was used as the cathode of a fuel cell (FC) to recover energy from organic fuels in neutral solution.