Issue 2, 2020

A sponge-templated sandwich-like cobalt-embedded nitrogen-doped carbon polyhedron/graphene composite as a highly efficient catalyst for Zn–air batteries

Abstract

Non-noble metal materials are regarded as the most promising catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to overcome the inherent defects of Pt-based catalysts, like high cost, limited availability and insufficient stability. Here, we fabricate sandwich-like Co encapsulated nitrogen doped carbon polyhedron/graphene (s-Co@NCP/rGO) via a facile and scalable strategy by loading Co-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) and graphene oxide (GO) layers individually on a polyurethane (PU) sponge template. The 3D sandwich structure is maintained with the assistance of the sponge template, which promotes the uniform dispersion of ZIF-67-derived Co embedded nitrogen doped carbon polyhedra (Co@NCP) and prevents the graphene plates from agglomerating during the annealing process. The final product demonstrates considerable catalytic performance for the ORR with a half-wave potential of 0.85 V, preferable stability and increased poisoning tolerance by comparison to 20 wt% Pt/C, which stems from the 3D sandwich-like structure, N/Co-doping effect, large accessible surface area and hierarchical porous structures. The excellent ORR performance of the catalysts means that they can be utilised in a Zn–air battery as cathode catalysts. During such a demonstration, s-Co@NCP/rGO shows a high open-circuit voltage of 1.466 V, remarkable long-term durability and an outstanding peak power density of 186 mV cm−2, which shows its high potential as a prospective alternative for widespread practical application in the field of non-noble metal ORR catalysts.

Graphical abstract: A sponge-templated sandwich-like cobalt-embedded nitrogen-doped carbon polyhedron/graphene composite as a highly efficient catalyst for Zn–air batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 oct. 2019
Accepted
20 nov. 2019
First published
20 nov. 2019

Nanoscale, 2020,12, 973-982

A sponge-templated sandwich-like cobalt-embedded nitrogen-doped carbon polyhedron/graphene composite as a highly efficient catalyst for Zn–air batteries

J. Cai, Q. Zhou, B. Liu, X. Gong, Y. Zhang, K. Goh, D. Gu, L. Zhao, X. Sui and Z. Wang, Nanoscale, 2020, 12, 973 DOI: 10.1039/C9NR09020G

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