Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
N,P-Codoped Carbon Networks as Efficient Metal-free Bifunctional Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction and Hydrogen
Jintao Zhang1,2, Liangti Qu3, Gaoquan Shi4
1Center of Advanced Science and Engineering for Carbon (Case4carbon), Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.
Abstract:
The high cost and scarcity of noble metal catalysts, such as Pt, have hindered the hydrogen production from electrochemical water splitting, the oxygen reduction in fuel cells and batteries. Herein, we developed a simple template-free approach to three-dimensional porous carbon networks codoped with nitrogen and phosphorus by pyrolysis of a supermolecular aggregate of self-assembled melamine, phytic acid, and graphene oxide (MPSA/GO). The pyrolyzed MPSA/GO acted as the first metal-free bifunctional catalyst with high activities for both oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution. Zn-air batteries with the pyrolyzed MPSA/GO air electrode showed a high peak power density (310 W g(-1) ) and an excellent durability. Thus, the pyrolyzed MPSA/GO is a promising bifunctional catalyst for renewable energy technologies, particularly regenerative fuel cells.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
Catalysis
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation

