In situ construction of FeCo alloy nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotubes as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for Zn–air batteries. Issue 38 (7th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Junxue; Zhu, Jie; Li, Sijia; Li, Zhonglin; Wu, Chengzhi; Wang, Ding; Luo, Zhihong; Li, Yibing; Luo, Kun
• Is Part Of: Dalton transactions. Volume 51:Issue 38(2022)
• Page Start: 14498
• Page End: 14507
• Publication Date: 2022-09-07
• Subjects: Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Physical and theoretical -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; 546.05
• DOI: 10.1039/d2dt02132c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-9226

Abstract

Abstract : We demonstrate the in situ construction of embedded FeCo alloy nanoparticles in Nitrogen-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotubes with a large power density of 200.4 mW cm −2 and a robust cycling performance over 445 h for Zn-air battery. Abstract : The rational design and exploration of low-cost, highly efficient, and robust bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts are essential for the application of zinc–air batteries. Herein, a novel highly active and stable oxygen electrode catalyst is designed based on in situ construction of FeCo alloy nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (FeCo/N–CNTs-800) with a bamboo-like structure. The unique architecture of bamboo-like nanotubes, the large surface area with abundant mesoporous structure, and the strong coupling interactions between the encapsulated alloy nanoparticle core and the nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon shell synergistically enhance the electrocatalytic activity. As a result, FeCo/N–CNTs-800 exhibits remarkable ORR (with a half-wave potential of 0.891 V in 0.1 M KOH) and OER (with an overpotential of 359 mV to deliver 10 mA cm −2 in 1 M KOH) performance, respectively. More impressively, an assembled zinc–air battery with the bifunctional FeCo/N–CNTs-800 catalyst as the air electrode demonstrates a large power density of 200.4 mW cm −2 and robust cycling performance over 445 h compared to precious-metal catalysts Pt/C∥IrO2 . Thus, the electrocatalyst presented in this work holds great potential as an air cathode for practical applications of zinc–air batteries.