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Research Article

A channel-confined strategy for synthesizing CoN-CoOx/C as efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalyst for advanced zinc-air batteries

Xingmei Guo1, Wei Zhang1, Jing Shi1, Mengting Duan1, Shanjing Liu1, Junhao Zhang1( ), Yuanjun Liu1, Shenglin Xiong2( ), Qinghong Kong3
School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, China
Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
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Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Designing hybrid transition metal compounds with optimized electronic structure and firmly dispersing them on a matrix to avoid aggregation and shedding is of great significance for achieving high electrocatalytic performances. Herein, an adsorption-complexation-calcination strategy based on channel confining effect is explored to obtain CoN-CoOx hybrid nanoparticles uniformly dispersed in mesoporous carbon. The CoN-CoOx/C composite exhibits excellent electrocatalytic behavior for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The half-wave potential and durability are comparable or superior to those of Pt/C. When applying as cathode catalyst for a primary zinc-air battery, the open-circuit voltage and peak power density reach up to 1.394 V and 109.8 mW·cm−2, respectively. A high gravimetric energy density of 950.3 Wh·kgZn−1 is delivered at 10 mA·cm−2 with good rate capability and stability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation demonstrates the favorable ORR intermediate adsorbability and metallic characteristics of CoN grains with oxide hybridization to optimize the electronic structure. This work provides a facile adjustable approach for obtaining highly dispersed nanoparticles with controllable hybrid composition on a substrate, which is important for future design and optimization of high-performance electrocatalysts.

Keywords

channel-confined complexationCoN-CoOxmesoporous carbonoxygen reduction reactionzinc-air battery

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Nano Research
Volume 15 Issue 3,
March 2022
Pages 2092-2103
DOI: 10.1007/s12274-021-3835-8
Cite this article:
Guo X, Zhang W, Shi J, et al. A channel-confined strategy for synthesizing CoN-CoOx/C as efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalyst for advanced zinc-air batteries. Nano Research, 2022, 15(3): 2092-2103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3835-8
Topics:
Electrocatalysts

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Received: 18 June 2021
Revised: 05 August 2021
Accepted: 19 August 2021
Published: 30 October 2021
© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2021
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