Platanus hispanica-inspired design of Co-carbon nanotube frameworks through chemical vapor deposition: a highly integrated hierarchical electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reactions.

In this communication, a novel platanus hispanica-like, highly integrated hierarchical electrocatalyst, with Co-carbon nanotubes anchored through porous Co embedded carbon sphere frameworks (Co-CNTFs), was fabricated using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. More importantly, the prepared Co-CNTFs demonstrate even better activity than commercial Pt electrocatalysts in an alkaline medium. This presented CVD approach provides an effective way to grow metal-CNTs in situ through various metal-complex-derived functional nanomaterials and can be expanded to metallic oxide, metallic sulfide, and metallic phosphide, among others, to introduce carbon nanotube frameworks with a multitude of potential applications.