Simple Fabrication of Titanium Dioxide/N-Doped Carbon Hybrid Material as Non-Precious Metal Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

We report a new approach for the fabrication of hybrid titanium dioxide/carbon materials derived from a porous titanium coordination polymer composed of a catechol-substituted porphyrin and Ti4+. Titanium dioxide nanocrystals were formed distributed in a nitrogen-doped carboniferous matrix after the thermolysis of the coordination polymer. The identity of the titanium dioxide phase, i.e., anatase or rutile, could be controlled by varying the thermolysis temperature. Electrochemical performances of the composites were explored with results demonstrating that the hybrid materials are promising cathodic materials for the oxygen reduction reaction.