Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of N-doped partially graphitized ordered mesoporous carbon-co composite

N-doped ordered mesoporous carbon-Co composites (Co-N-OMC) with 2D hexagonal structure, uniform pore size (4.4 nm), high surface area (550 m ² g^-1), and medium pore volume (0.61 cm³ g ^-1) were successfully fabricated through facile one-step template method. We employed resol as the carbon precursor, triblock copolymer as the template agent, and cobaltous acetate and urea as additives. XPS analysis revealed that nitrogen was successfully doped in ordered mesoporous carbon and existed in the form of pyridine-like and quaternary-N nitrogen atoms. More importantly, metallic Co nanoparticles with uniform diameter around 15 nm highly dispersed in carbon matrix without adding any dispersion agent, which was probably due to the confinement effect of mesoporous structure. It was unambiguously demonstrated by HRTEM analysis that there were layered graphitic sheets present around Co particles, resulting from in situ catalytic graphitization of amorphrous carbon by Co species. Pt catalyst deposited on Co-N-OMC composite showed an excellent electrocatalytic activity for both methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction reaction, which was probably due to its suitable pore structure, improved degree of graphitization, presence of nitrogen, and high dispersion of Pt nanoparticles.