Issue 22, 2018

Light-weight 3D Co–N-doped hollow carbon spheres as efficient electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc–air batteries

Abstract

Rational design of cost-effective, nonprecious metal-based catalysts with a desirable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance by a simple and economical synthesis route is a great challenge for the commercialization of future fuel cell and metal–air batteries. Herein, light-weight 3D Co–N-doped hollow carbon spheres (Co–NHCs) have been fabricated via a facile emulsion approach followed by carbonization. The prepared 0.1-Co–NHCs catalyst with suitable Co doping content exhibits favorable ORR catalytic activity (onset potential of 0.99 V and half-wave potential of 0.81 V vs. RHE), comparable to that of commercial Pt–C (onset potential of 1.02 V and half-wave potential of 0.83 V vs. RHE) and rivals that of Pt–C with better cycling stability. The excellent performance of the catalyst is attributed to the synergetic effect of Co and N doping with a high total ratio of active sites, high surface area and good conductivity of the material. More impressively, the assembled rechargeable zinc–air batteries based on the 0.1-Co–NHCs catalyst outperform those afforded by commercial Pt–C. The progress presented in this reported work is of great importance in the development of outstanding non-noble metal based electrocatalysts for the fuel cell and metal–air battery industry.

Graphical abstract: Light-weight 3D Co–N-doped hollow carbon spheres as efficient electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc–air batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 feb 2018
Accepted
19 mar 2018
First published
20 mar 2018

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 10412-10419

Light-weight 3D Co–N-doped hollow carbon spheres as efficient electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc–air batteries

S. Chen, J. Cheng, L. Ma, S. Zhou, X. Xu, C. Zhi, W. Zhang, L. Zhi and J. A. Zapien, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 10412 DOI: 10.1039/C8NR01140K

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