Co/N-Doped hierarchical porous carbon as an efficient oxygen electrocatalyst for rechargeable Zn–air battery |
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Authors: | Wenshu Zhou Yanyan Liu Huan Liu Dichao Wu Gaoyue Zhang Jianchun Jiang |
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Affiliation: | Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF), National Engineering Lab for Biomass Chemical Utilization, Key and Open Lab. of Forest Chemical Engineering, SFA, Nanjing Jiangsu Province 210042 China.; Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing China ; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou China |
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Abstract: | Developing efficient electrocatalysts for ORR/OER is the key issue for the large-scale application of rechargeable Zn–air batteries. The design of Co and N co-doped carbon matrices has become a promising strategy for the fabrication of bi-functional electrocatalysts. Herein, the surface-oxidized Co nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulated into N-doped hierarchically porous carbon materials (Co/NHPC) are designed as ORR/OER catalysts for rechargeable Zn–air batteries via dual-templating strategy and pyrolysis process containing Co2+. The fabricated electrocatalyst displays a core–shell structure with the surface-oxidized Co nanoparticles anchored on hierarchically porous carbon sheets. The carbon shells prevent Co NP cores from aggregating, ensuring excellent electrocatalytic properties for ORR with a half-wave potential of 0.82 V and a moderate OER performance. Notably, the obtained Co/NHPC as a cathode was further assembled in a zinc–air battery that delivered an open-circuit potential of 1.50 V, even superior to that of Pt/C (1.46 V vs. RHE), a low charge–discharge voltage gap, and long cycle life. All these results demonstrate that this study provides a simple, scalable, and efficient approach to fabricate cost-effective high-performance ORR/OER catalysts for rechargeable Zn–air batteries.The surface-oxidized Co nanoparticles incorporated in N-doped hierarchically porous carbon materials are designed as ORR/OER catalyst for rechargeable Zn–air batteries via dual-templating strategy and pyrolysis process. |
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