Co/Fe3O4 nanoparticles embedded in N-doped hierarchical porous carbon derived from zeolitic imidazolate frameworks as efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalysts for zinc–air battery-based desalination. Issue 22 (25th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dai, Jinhong; Zhang, Jingzhe; Karthick, R.; Liang, Mengjun; Wei, Qiang; Chen, Xuncai; Shi, Yumeng; Zhai, Shengli; Wang, Guannan; Chen, Fuming
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 10:Issue 22(2022)
• Page Start: 12213
• Page End: 12224
• Publication Date: 2022-05-25
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/d2ta00736c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : A non-noble metal catalyst, Co/Fe3 O4 @ZIF-8C, with outstanding oxygen reduction activity, can realize an excellent desalination performance and energy output comparable to commercial Pt/C in the zinc–air battery-based desalination device. Abstract : Zinc–air battery-based desalination (ZABD) is a potential solution to effectively desalinate brackish water and supply energy simultaneously, which requires catalysts with high and durable electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the cathode of zinc–air batteries. Herein, a N-doped hierarchically porous carbon material encapsulating Co/Fe3 O4 nanoparticles was successfully prepared using zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) as the precursor. Due to the integration of large specific surface area, hierarchically porous structure, and Co/Fe3 O4 nanoparticles, the Co/Fe3 O4 @ZIF-8C catalyst exhibits a limiting current density of 5.93 mA cm −2 and a half-wave potential of 0.83 V, which is comparable to that of commercial platinum/carbon (Pt/C). It also presents outstanding durability and methanol endurance, superior to the Pt/C catalyst. More importantly, Co/Fe3 O4 @ZIF-8C achieved the dual functions of a fast salt removal rate (32.9 μg cm −2 min −1 ) and high energy output (91.6 KJ mol −1 ) when employed as the cathode catalyst of ZABD, which can process brine of 3000 ppm to a drinking water level of 128 ppm. The employment of Co/Fe3 O4 @ZIF-8C enables ZABD to possess stable batch cyclability and durable desalination performance. This is the first time that a non-noble metal catalyst has been applied in ZABD, realizing an outstanding desalination performance comparable to that of commercial Pt/C. Accordingly, the high-efficiency and low-cost ORR catalytic material provided by this work has significant application prospects in seawater desalination and metal–air discharge batteries.