Recent Progress in ZIF-Derived Carbons for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysis

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) represents a cornerstone for many clean energy conversion technologies such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Nevertheless, the commercialization of these technologies is largely impeded by the slow kinetics of ORR, for which active, durable and cost-effective ORR catalysts are needed. In recent years, zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) derived carbon materials emerge as a new class of non-precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) toward ORR, largely benefiting from their high surface area, abundant porosity, tunable chemical/electronic structure, and superior ORR activity which is comparable or even surpasses those state-of-the-art Pt-based ORR catalysts. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in ZIF-derived carbons for ORR. The synthesis strategies and the key factors affecting the ORR performance of ZIF-derived carbon materials are discussed. Future research directions and perspectives on exploring ZIF derived carbons as efficient ORR catalysts are highlighted, with a focus on the principles of rationally engineering the coordination structures of active sites.