Sulfur‐Induced Growth of Coordination Polymer Derived‐Straight Carbon Nanotubes on Carbon Nanofiber Network for Zn‐Air Batteries. Issue 28 (22nd April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Xian; Du, Yujing; Chai, Lulu; Ding, Junyang; Zhong, Li; Miao, Ting‐Ting; Hu, Yue; Qian, Jinjie; Huang, Shaoming
• Is Part Of: Chemistry. Volume 27:Issue 28(2021)
• Page Start: 7704
• Page End: 7711
• Publication Date: 2021-04-22
• Subjects: Carbon nanofiber -- Carbon nanotube -- Co9S8 -- Electrocatalysis -- Heteroatom-doped carbon; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.202005415
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0947-6539

Abstract

Abstract: Low‐cost heteroatom‐doped carbon nanomaterials have been widely studied for efficient oxygen reduction reaction and energy storage and conversion in metal‐air batteries. A Masson pine twigs‐like 3‐dimensional network construction of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with abundant straight long Co, N, and S‐doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is developed by thermal treatment of Co‐based polymer coated onto polyacrylonitrile nanofiber network together with thiourea at 900 °C, denoted as CNFT‐Co9 S8 ‐900. It is interesting to note that the introduction of a high concentration of sulfur does not lead to the complete toxicity of catalysts, but promotes the axial growth to selectively form straight CNTs instead of curly bamboo‐like CNTs. The highly graphitized in‐situ grown Co, N, S‐doped CNTs and the 3‐dimensional N‐doped CNF network provide both active catalytic sites and highly conductive paths, which are beneficial for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Thus, the optimal CNFT‐Co9 S8 ‐900 performs the excellent ORR catalytic activity with a half‐wave potential of 0.84 V and a diffusion‐limited current density of 5.49 mA cm −2 . Furthermore, the CNFT‐Co9 S8 ‐900‐based Zn‐air devices also possess a high power density of 136.9 mW cm −2 better than commercial Pt/C. Abstract : The scheme illustrates the sulfur‐induced synthesis of a Masson pine twigs‐like 3‐dimensional carbon nanofibers network with abundant straight carbon nanotubes from a type of Co‐based coordination polymer, which are encapsulated with Co9 S8 nanoparticles. Combined with the effective catalytic sites of the Co, N, and S doped carbon nanofibers/carbon nanotubes and the unique structure of 3‐dimensional cross‐connected carbon nanofiber network, CNFT‐Co9 S8 ‐T shows excellent ORR catalytic activity.