Abstract
Synthesis of metal-free carbon-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to replace the conventional
platinum-based catalysts has currently become a hot topic of research. This work proposes an activation-assisted
carbonization strategy for the fabrication of nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon microfibers (Me-CFZ-900) with a
high BET surface area (~ 929.4 m2 g−1) via using melamine as a promoter/nitrogen source and bamboo-carbon
biowastes as the carbon source with the help of a zinc chloride activator. Electrochemical tests showed that the
Me-CFZ-900 material has exhibited excellent ORR electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability, and also displayed a
quasi-four-electron ORR pathway in alkaline electrolyte. We also find that the graphitic-N may be the catalytically active
site for the ORR, but the formation of planar-N can further help to promote the ORR activity for our catalysts. The
results open a new space and provide a new idea to prepare valuable porous nanocarbon materials on the basis of
carbonaceous solid wastes for catalysis of a wide range of electrochemical reactions in the future.
Keywords: Nanoporous carbon, Carbon microfiber, Oxygen reduction reaction, Electrocatalyst, Bamboo-carbon
biowaste

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• A Highly Nanoporous Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Microfiber Derived from Bioresource as a New Kind of ORR Electrocatalyst