Benzene‐Doped Carbon Nitride: Structural and Electronic Insights for Improved ORR Performance by Tailoring π‐Conjugation a

ABSTRACT The development of efficient, durable, and cost‐effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is critical for advancing clean energy technologies, including fuel cells. Herein, we report a benzene‐doped carbon nitride (BCN) material as a high‐performance ORR electrocatalyst. The BCN catalyst exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity, with an onset potential (E onset ) of 0.92 V, which is one of the highest reported for carbon nitride‐based ORR catalysts to date. BCN evinces an impressive diffusion‐limiting current density of 2.69 mA cm −2 , indicating efficient catalytic activity. Furthermore, BCN showed a highly selective 4‐electron ORR pathway, effectively converting O 2 into H 2 O. The superior performance of BCN is attributed to its porous graphene‐like structure, including the enhanced electronic properties because of benzene doping. BCN also showed outstanding durability and functional integrity in an alkaline medium. This work underscores the potential of BCN material as a next‐generation electrocatalyst and provides insights into the design of carbon‐based materials for energy conversion.