Manganese- and Nitrogen-Doped Biomass-Based Carbons as Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Manganese- and nitrogen-doped carbon materials were produced using NaOH-activated wood char and wood-processing residues such as wood chips and black liquor and evaluated as oxygen reduction catalysts for further application in fuel cells or metal–air batteries. The elemental and chemical composition, with special attention given to types of nitrogen bonds and the structure, morphology, and porosity of the obtained catalyst materials were studied. The catalytic activity was assessed in an alkaline medium using the rotating-disk electrode method. It has been shown that synthesized and doped N-Mn catalytic materials based on biomass precursors with different chemical structures are a promising alternative to modern oxygen reduction catalysts based on precious metals.