Pt nanoparticles loaded chitosan derived hierarchically porous materials as efficient catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Chitosan derived hierarchical porous materials (CDHPM) were successfully prepared using chitosan as a ‘green’ carbon source and potassium permanganate as a pore-making agent through a simple pyrolytic synthesis. CDHPM were used as carriers for Pt-based catalysts and tested for their electrocatalytic performance oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline electrolyte. The prepared CDHPM can effectively optimize the electrocatalytic performance of Pt-based catalysts due to their large specific surface area, abundant oxygen-containing functional groups, and defect sites. Compared with the commercial catalyst Pt/C (20 % Pt content), Pt/CDHPM (5.75 % Pt content) has higher catalytic activity, durability, and methanol resistance. In conclusion, this study provides an effective strategy for the synthesis of ORR catalysts with high-performance and high-stability, which paves a new way for the development of advanced fuel cell catalysts.