Si-doped and Si, N-codoped carbon nanomaterials exhibited much higher electrocatalytic activity and longer-term stability for the oxygen reduction reaction than non-doped carbon nanomaterials, due to the changes in net charges and the energy characteristics of the Si-containing carbon framework and the adsorption mode of oxygen.

N, S and P-ternary doped carbon nano-pore/tube composites (NSP-CNPTCs) were prepared on the basis of natural chemicals from the waste sweet osmanthus fruit. Results indicated NSP-CNPTCs exhibited superior ORR activity in both acid and basic media.

CeO₂–MO_x (M = Cu, Co, Ni) composite yolk–shell nanospheres with uniform size were fabricated by a general wet-chemical approach. It involved a non-equilibrium heat-treatment of Ce coordination polymer colloidal spheres (Ce-CPCSs) with a proper heating rate to produce CeO₂ yolk–shell nanospheres, followed by a solvothermal treatment of as-synthesized CeO₂ with M(CH₃COO)₂ in ethanol solution. During the solvothermal process, highly dispersed MO_x species were decorated on the surface of CeO₂ yolk–shell nanospheres to form CeO₂–MO_x composites. As a CO oxidation catalyst, the CeO₂–MO_x composite yolk–shell nanospheres showed strikingly higher catalytic activity than naked CeO₂ due to the strong synergistic interaction at the interface sites between MO_x and CeO₂. Cycling tests demonstrate the good cycle stability of these yolk–shell nanospheres. The initial concentration of M(CH₃COO)₂·xH₂O in the synthesis process played a significant role in catalytic performance for CO oxidation. Impressively, complete CO conversion as reached at a relatively low temperature of 145 °C over the CeO₂–CuO_x-2 sample. Furthermore, the CeO₂–CuO_x catalyst is more active than the CeO₂–CoO_x and CeO₂–NiO catalysts, indicating that the catalytic activity is correlates with the metal oxide. Additionally, this versatile synthesis approach can be expected to create other ceria-based composite oxide systems with various structures for a broad range of technical applications.