Advanced Fiber Materials, Volume. 6, Issue 5, 00425(2024)

Unravelling the Tip Effect of Oxygen Catalysis in Integrated Cathode for High-Performance Flexible/Wearable Zn–Air Batteries

Yirun Shen1... Haoning Mao1, Chen Li1, Keer Li1, Yi Liu1, Jihai Liao2, Shengsen Zhang2, Yueping Fang1 and Xin Cai1,* |Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • 1Key Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Materials and Energy, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
  • 2Department of Physics, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
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    The exploration of high-efficiency transition metal–nitrogen–carbon (M–N–C) catalysts is crucial for accelerating the kinetics of oxygen reduction/oxygen evolution reactions (ORR/OER). Fine-tuning the distribution of accessible metal sites and the correlated triphase interfaces within the M–N–C catalysts holds significant promise. In this study, we present an integrated electrocatalyst comprised of tip-enriched NiFe nanoalloys encapsulated within N-doped carbon nanotubes (NiFe@CNTs), synthesized using an in-situ wet-electrochemistry mediated approach. The well-defined NiFe@CNTs catalyst possesses a porous heterostructure, synergistic M–Nx–C active sites, and intimate micro interfaces, facilitating accelerated redox kinetics. This leads to exceptional OER/ORR activities with a low overall ΔE of 630 mV. Experimental results and density functional theory calculations unveil the predominant electronic interplay between the apical bimetallic sites and neighboring N-doped CNTs, thereby enhancing the binding of intermediates on NiFe@CNTs. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the local gas–liquid environment surrounding NiFe@CNTs favors the diffusion/adsorption of the OH-/O2 reactants. Consequently, NiFe@CNTs contribute to high-performance aqueous Zn–Air batteries (ZABs), exhibiting a high gravimetric energy density (936 Wh kgZn–1) and superb cycling stability (> 425 h) at 20 mA cm–2. Furthermore, solid-state ZABs based on NiFe@CNTs demonstrate impressive electrochemical performance (e.g., peak power density of 108 mW cm-2, specific energy of 1003 Wh kgZn–1) and prominent flexibility. This work illuminates a viable strategy for constructing metal site-specific, cobalt-free, and integrated M–N–C electrocatalysts for multifunctional catalysis and advanced/flexible energy storage applications.

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    Yirun Shen, Haoning Mao, Chen Li, Keer Li, Yi Liu, Jihai Liao, Shengsen Zhang, Yueping Fang, Xin Cai. Unravelling the Tip Effect of Oxygen Catalysis in Integrated Cathode for High-Performance Flexible/Wearable Zn–Air Batteries[J]. Advanced Fiber Materials, 2024, 6(5): 00425

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    Paper Information

    Category: Research Articles

    Received: Jan. 5, 2024

    Accepted: Apr. 23, 2024

    Published Online: Nov. 14, 2024

    The Author Email: Cai Xin (caixin2015@scau.edu.cn)

    DOI:10.1007/s42765-024-00425-5

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