Issue 45, 2023

Zn/N/S Co-doped hierarchical porous carbon as a high-efficiency oxygen reduction catalyst in Zn–air batteries

Abstract

Zn–N–C catalysts have garnered attention as potential electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, their intrinsic limitations, including poor activity and a low density of active sites, continue to hinder their electrocatalytic performance. In this study, we have devised a dual-template strategy for the synthesis of Zn, N, S co-doped nanoporous carbon-based catalysts (Zn–N/S–C(S, Z)) with a substantial specific surface area and a graded pore structure. The introduction of S enhances electron localization around the Zn–Nx active centers, facilitating interactions with oxygen-containing substances. The resulting Zn–N/S–C(S, Z) sample exhibits outstanding performance in an alkaline solution, demonstrating a half-wave potential of 0.89 V. This value surpasses that of commercial Pt/C by 40 mV. Furthermore, when combined with RuO2 (Zn–N/S–C(S, Z) + RuO2), the catalyst demonstrates exceptional performance in a Zn–air battery, offering an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.47 V and a peak power density of 290.8 mW cm−2. This study paves the way for the development of highly dispersed and highly active Zn-metal site catalysts, potentially replacing traditional Pt-based catalysts in various electrochemical devices.

Graphical abstract: Zn/N/S Co-doped hierarchical porous carbon as a high-efficiency oxygen reduction catalyst in Zn–air batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Sep 2023
Accepted
24 Oct 2023
First published
30 Oct 2023

Dalton Trans., 2023,52, 16773-16779

Zn/N/S Co-doped hierarchical porous carbon as a high-efficiency oxygen reduction catalyst in Zn–air batteries

M. Liu, J. Zhang, G. Ye, Y. Peng and S. Guan, Dalton Trans., 2023, 52, 16773 DOI: 10.1039/D3DT03172A

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