Carbon-based Cathode Materials Doped with a New Borazine Compound for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction

A new compound, B,B′,B′′-tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)-N,N′,N′′-triphenylborazine (BZ) was prepared as a precursor for carbon-based oxygen reduction catalysts. The mixtures of BZ and phenolic resin were pyrolyzed under N2 at 1000 °C for 5 h and resulted in a carbonaceous material with high oxygen and boron contents. The oxygen reduction catalytic activity was much improved by the addition of this precursor. The improved catalytic activity is probably due to the oxygen-containing functionalities that are enriched in the presence of boron species.