Enhancing the ORR activity of fullerene-derived carbons by implanting Fe in assembled diamine-C₆₀ spheres

Fullerene-derived carbons have been demonstrated as effective electrode materials for electrocatalytic reactions. The rational arrangement of heteroatoms in the carbon structure is essential to yield high catalytic activity. Herein, assembled diamine-C₆₀ spheres (N@FSs) were fabricated and used to control the implanting of Fe components. The confinement effect from fullerene superstructures and the strengthened binding of Fe ions by the amine groups ensure the formation of porous carbon spheres (FeN@FCSs) with a high doping amount of Fe and N simultaneously. Due to the homogeneous distribution of Fe-N components in the carbons, FeN@FCSs exhibited much enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) compared to fullerene carbons without doping. The performance is also comparable to that of a commercial Pt/C (20 wt%) catalyst.