Issue 4, 2024

Constructing Fe–N-doped porous carbon nanofibers for a pH-universal ORR and switchable, superior Zn–air batteries

Abstract

Mechanically stable air cathodes with exceptional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activities serve as a highly significant component of metal–air batteries. Herein, we have proposed and prepared a porous air electrode consisting of well-dispersed Fe nanoparticles (Zn assisted formation) embedded in nitrogen-rich 3D carbon nanofibers (called Fe(Zn)–N–C) derived from Fe, Zn–metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) by a facile and scalable approach. The obtained Fe(Zn)–N–C with a distinctly continuous porous structure presented a comparable or even better performance than the commercial 20 wt% Pt/C and previously reported non-noble electrocatalysts for Zn–air batteries, which includes (1) effective in the universal-pH range (E1/2 = 0.86, 0.74, and 0.67 V in alkaline, acidic, and neutral media, respectively), (2) extremely high stability (∼85%, 80%, and 82% activity retention for 86 400 s in alkaline, acidic, and neutral media, respectively), (3) a high power density (193 and 48 mW cm−2 in alkaline and neutral media, respectively), and (4) an excellent specific capacity (800 and 688 mA h g−1 in alkaline and neutral media, respectively). This design strategy of porous non-precious metal-doped pH-universal ORR electrocatalysts could also be extended to fabricate other novel, stable, and easy-to-use multi-functional electrocatalysts for clean-energy technology.

Graphical abstract: Constructing Fe–N-doped porous carbon nanofibers for a pH-universal ORR and switchable, superior Zn–air batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 10 2023
Accepted
29 11 2023
First published
29 11 2023

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 2004-2010

Constructing Fe–N-doped porous carbon nanofibers for a pH-universal ORR and switchable, superior Zn–air batteries

Y. Ma, Y. Xiao, Y. Ge, D. Gao, Y. Zhang, Z. Li and Y. Han, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12, 2004 DOI: 10.1039/D3TA06537E

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