Rationally constructing nitrogen–fluorine heteroatoms on porous carbon derived from pomegranate fruit peel waste towards an efficient oxygen reduction catalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

摘要: N and F heteroatom dual-doping is directed to regulate the defects texture of porous carbon derived from pomegranate fruit peel wastes (N–F/PGPC), responsible for creating active sites favorable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The N–F/PGPC catalyst shows absolute tolerance methanol longer stability, with no degradation ORR activity both in alkaline acidic media, which makes it a potential metal-free polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). high electrocatalytic primarily due presence hierarchical structure, maximum C–C bond polarization, charge re-distribution high-spin-density-induced matrices existence heteroatoms. Co-existence N, form pyridinic-N, pyrrolic-N, graphitic-N, species, F, C–F ionic semi-ionic forms, synergistically enhances catalytic activity. This study offers process successfully transforming highly abundant agricultural product commercially worthwhile, alternative low-cost electrocatalyst that holds great promise towards PEMFCs.