Two kinds of phosphorus-modified onion-like carbons dominated by C-O-P bonds and C-P bonds were fabricated and further used as catalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The results show that the bonding state of phosphorus has a significant effect on the ORR catalytic activity. The formation of C-O-P bonds improves ORR activity, whereas C-P bonds play an adverse role in stabilizing the key intermediates during the ORR owing to the distorted graphitic structure, as confirmed by the work function value.
Keywords: doping; electrocatalysis; onion-like carbon; oxygen reduction; phosphorus.
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