Graphical Abstract

Electrocatalytic conversion of oxygen holds great potential for clean energy technologies, including water electrolysis, regenerative fuel cells, and rechargeable metal-air batteries. The development of highly efficient and inexpensive oxygen electrocatalysts as replacements for precious metal-based catalysts is vitally important for large-scale practical application in the future. A bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst based on FeCo nanoparticles/N-doped carbon core-shell spheres supported on N-doped graphene sheets was prepared via one-step pyrolysis of graphitic carbon nitride and acetylacetonates. The optimized product exhibited an oxygen electrode activity of 0.87 V and excellent durability. The remarkable performance is mainly attributed to the synergetic effect arising from the FeCo nanoparticles and N-doped carbon shell. This study introduces an inexpensive and simple way to develop highly active bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts.
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