Co3O4@NiCo2O4 double-shelled nanocages with hierarchical hollow structure and oxygen vacancies as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for rechargeable Zn–air batteries

Highly efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are crucially important for the rechargeable Zn–air battery, a potential power source for applications in electric vehicles and grid-scale stationary storage systems. Herein,...

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Published in:Dalton transactions : an international journal of inorganic chemistry 2021-02, Vol.50 (6), p.2093-2101
Main Authors: Yu, Neng-Fei, Huang, Wen, Kai-Lin, Bao, Chen, Hui, Hu, Kai, Zhang, Yi, Qing-Hong, Huang, Zhu, Yusong, Yu-Ping, Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Catalysts
Cathodes
Cobalt oxides
Electric vehicles
Electrocatalysts
Metal air batteries
Metal-organic frameworks
Nickel compounds
Oxygen evolution reactions
Oxygen reduction reactions
Platinum
Rechargeable batteries
Storage systems
Structural hierarchy
Vacancies
Zinc-oxygen batteries
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Summary:Highly efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are crucially important for the rechargeable Zn–air battery, a potential power source for applications in electric vehicles and grid-scale stationary storage systems. Herein, Co3O4@NiCo2O4 double-shelled nanocages (Co3O4@NiCo2O4 DSNCs) with hierarchical hollow structure and oxygen vacancies were designed and synthesized via annealing metal–organic frameworks. Co3O4@NiCo2O4 DSNCs with large specific surface area and three-dimensional interconnected mesopores and cavity not only provide more reaction sites, but also offer an efficient transport environment for reactants. Moreover, oxygen vacancies on the surfaces improve the capture of oxygen species to enhance the reactivity of the catalyst. Consequently, Co3O4@NiCo2O4 DSNCs displayed excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic performance, with a positive half-wave potential of 0.81 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE) for ORR (approaching the potential of commercial Pt/C catalyst) and a low potential of 1.65 V at 10 mA cm−2 for OER (exceeding Pt/C). In a practical demonstration, the Zn–air battery using Co3O4@NiCo2O4 DSNCs as the cathode delivered a satisfactory power density of 102.1 mW cm−2, comparable to the Zn–air battery with a Pt/C cathode, and exhibited much longer cycling stability.
ISSN:1477-9226
1477-9234
DOI:10.1039/d0dt03971c