FeCo/FeCoP encapsulated in N, Mn-codoped three-dimensional fluffy porous carbon nanostructures as highly efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst with multi-components synergistic catalysis for ultra-stable rechargeable Zn-air batteries

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science Vol. 605; pp. 451 - 462
• Main Authors: Chen, Yu-Ping, Lin, Shi-Yi, Sun, Rui-Min, Wang, Ai-Jun, Zhang, Lu, Ma, Xiaohong, Feng, Jiu-Ju
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.01.2022
• Subjects: Bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst; Doped porous carbon; Multi-components; Polyinosinic acid; Rechargeable Zn-air batteries; Rechargeable Zn-air batteries; Polyinosinic acid; Bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst; Multi-components; Doped porous carbon
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.07.082

[Display omitted] •Fluffy porous FeCo/FeCoP@NMn-CNS-800 was fabricated by a facile pyrolysis method.•The unique 3D nanostructures with multi-components created abundant active sites.•The bifunctional catalyst showed excellent ORR and OER electrocatalytic performances.•The as-assembled Zn-air battery exhibited high open-circuit voltage, large power density, and long-term durability. Currently, it is critical but a tricky point to develop economical, high-efficiency, and durable non-precious metal electrocatalysts towards oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reaction (ORR/OER) in rechargeable Zn-air batteries. Herein, N, Mn-codoped three-dimensional (3D) fluffy porous carbon nanostructures encapsulating FeCo/FeCoP alloyed nanoparticles (FeCo/FeCoP@NMn-CNS) are prepared by one-step pyrolysis of the metal precursors and polyinosinic acid. The optimized hybrid nanocomposite (obtained at 800 °C, named as FeCo/FeCoP@NMn-CNS-800) exhibits outstanding catalytic performance in the alkaline electrolyte with a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.84 V for the ORR and an overpotential of 325 mV towards the OER at 10 mA cm−2. Impressively, the FeCo/FeCoP@NMn-CNS-800-assembled rechargeable Zn-air battery presents an open-circuit voltage of 1.522 V (vs. RHE), a peak power density of 135.0 mW cm−2, and long-term durability by charge-discharge cycling for 200 h, surpassing commercial Pt/C + RuO2 based counterpart. This work affords valuable guidelines for exploring advanced bifunctional ORR and OER catalysts in rational construction of high-quality Zn-air batteries.