Issue 3, 2019

Air cathode of zinc–air batteries: a highly efficient and durable aerogel catalyst for oxygen reduction

Abstract

In this communication, N-doped carbon shell encapsulated Co3O4@Co nanoparticles (NPs) were assembled on N-doped reduced graphene oxide to form non-precious metal aerogels (Co3O4@Co/N-r-GO) for oxygen reduction. In an alkaline medium, the aerogels exhibit comparable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performances to the commercial Pt/C with respect to half-wave potential, current density and durability. Zn–air batteries (ZABs) assembled with Co3O4@Co/N-r-GO as the air cathode display high average voltages of ∼1.38 and ∼1.3 V at a current density of 1 and 5 mA cm−2, respectively, and show a specific capacity of ∼800 mA h g−1. These results demonstrate that Co3O4@Co/N-r-GO materials are highly active and durable ORR catalysts for ZABs. The unique structure of the composite aerogel, i.e. the carbon shell encapsulated Co3O4@Co NPs and the 3D interconnected macroporous N-r-GO matrix, is responsible for its high ORR activity and stability.

Graphical abstract: Air cathode of zinc–air batteries: a highly efficient and durable aerogel catalyst for oxygen reduction

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
11 Sep 2018
Accepted
08 Dec 2018
First published
10 Dec 2018

Nanoscale, 2019,11, 826-832

Air cathode of zinc–air batteries: a highly efficient and durable aerogel catalyst for oxygen reduction

L. Zhang, X. Yang, R. Cai, C. Chen, Y. Xia, H. Zhang, D. Yang and X. Yao, Nanoscale, 2019, 11, 826 DOI: 10.1039/C8NR07386D

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