Engineering Ni3+ inside nickel selenide as efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for Zn–air batteries

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2019-06, Vol.54 (12), p.9063-9074
• Main Authors: Pan, Qiu-Ren, Li, Si-Jie, Tong, Kaixin, Xie, Chong, Peng, Lijuan, Li, Nan, Wang, Dong-Yao, Su, Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Charging; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Electrocatalysts; Electrode materials; Electrodes; Energy conversion; Energy Materials; Materials Science; Metal air batteries; Nanoparticles; Nickel; Noble metals; Oxygen evolution reactions; Oxygen reduction reactions; Polymer Sciences; Rechargeable batteries; Solid Mechanics; Transition metals; Zinc-oxygen batteries
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-019-03520-w

Developing a high-efficienct, low-cost and stable non-noble-metal-based bifunctional electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as oxygen electrode material in the rechargeable zinc–air battery is crucial in renewable energy conversion technologies. In this work, nitrogen-doped hollow carbon sphere (NHCS) decorated with various nickel selenide (Ni x Se) nanoparticles had been designed and successfully prepared. Among them, the Ni 0.85 Se–NHCS with the highest percentage of Ni 3+ could serve as a new efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst toward ORR/OER (with an onset potential of 0.850 V for ORR and a potential of 1.583 V at 10 mA·cm −2 for OER) in an alkaline medium. Furthermore, the assembled Zn–air battery coupled with Ni 0.85 Se–NHCS electrode has excellent discharging–charging performance and long lifetime. This work provides a valuable understanding on transition metal non-oxide electrocatalysts and expands the applications of selenide-based materials.