Wee, Jae-Hyung Kim, Chang Hyo Lee, Hun-Su Choi, Go Bong Kim, Doo-Won Yang, Cheol-Min Kim, Yoong Ahm 2024-01-19T18:32:15Z 2024-01-19T18:32:15Z 2021-09-04 2019-12-27 2045-2322 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/119181 Nitrogen (N)-doped nanostructured carbons have been actively examined as promising alternatives for precious-metal catalysts in various electrochemical energy generation systems. Herein, an effective approach for synthesizing N-doped single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWNHs) with highly electrocatalytic active sites via controlled oxidation followed by N-2 plasma is presented. Nanosized holes were created on the conical tips and sidewalls of SWNHs under mild oxidation, and subsequently, the edges of the holes were easily decorated with N atoms. The N atoms were present preferentially in a pyridinic configuration along the edges of the nanosized holes without significant structural change of the SWNHs. The enriched edges decorated with the pyridinic-N atoms at the atomic scale increased the number of active sites for the oxygen reduction reaction, and the inherent spherical three-imensional feature of the SWNHs provided good electrical conductivity and excellent mass transport. We demonstrated an effective method for promoting the electrocatalytic active sites within N-doped SWNHs by combining defect engineering with the preferential formation of N atoms having a specific configuration. English NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP DOPED GRAPHENE ELECTROCATALYST PHOSPHORUS RAMAN PERFORMANCE Enriched Pyridinic Nitrogen Atoms at Nanoholes of Carbon Nanohorns for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Article 10.1038/s41598-019-56770-8 1 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v.9 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 9 scie scopus 000509342200006 2-s2.0-85077308409 Multidisciplinary Sciences Science & Technology - Other Topics Article DOPED GRAPHENE ELECTROCATALYST PHOSPHORUS RAMAN PERFORMANCE carbon nanohorn nitrogen doping plasma treatment oxygen reduction pyridinic nitrogen