One-Step Synthesis of Ultrathin Carbon Nanoribbons from Metal-Organic Framework Nanorods for Oxygen Reduction and Zinc-Air Batteries

Two-dimensional (2D) carbon nanostructures play a critical role in energy-related applications, but developing facile and efficient strategies to synthesize these kinds of nanostructures is extremely rare. Herein, ultrathin carbon nanoribbons (CNRibs), with a thickness of 2-6 nm and length over 100 nm, have been strategically fabricated via a one-step pyrolysis of one-dimensional (1D) metal-organic framework nanorods (MOF NRods). Manipulating the diameters of MOF NRods will result in the formation of porous carbon nanostructures in 1D or 2D morphologies. Functional CNRibs with N doping or metal active site immobilization have also been studied. The CNRibs decorated with iron nanoclusters and single atoms have been used as excellent catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction under both alkaline and acidic conditions, as well as zinc-air batteries. This work gives deep insights into the structural evolution from 1D to 2D morphology, providing an efficient approach to fabricate low-dimensional nanomaterials with controllable morphologies and functionalities for electrochemical applications.