Outstanding platinum group metal-free bifunctional catalysts for rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Engineering Symmetry-Breaking Centers and d-Orbital Modulation in Triatomic Catalysts for Zinc-Air Batteries

“…Rechargeable Zn-air batteries (RZABs), considered a promising candidate for next-generation energy storage and conversion devices, have attracted tremendous research interest due to their merits of large theoretical energy density (1086 Wh kg –1 ), cost effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and safety. − However, the extensive applications of RZABs are still far from satisfactory, and the major challenge is the sluggish kinetics of 4-electron-transfer at the cathode during bifunctional oxygen catalysis. − Although noble-metal catalysts have exhibited great oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activities, their high price, nonbifunctional activity, insufficient stability, and limited storage capacity impede large-scale commercial applications. − Therefore, non-noble-metal bifunctional catalysts with low cost, high efficiency, and good durability are urgently required. − Transition-metal (TM)-based single-atom catalysts (SACs) and diatomic site catalysts (DASCs) have garnered increasing interest in oxygen catalysis owing to their high tunability of electronic structures and ultimate atomic utilization efficiency. − However, their bifunctional activities with long-term stability are still unsatisfactory.…”

MOF-Derived Cobalt Nanoparticles with Dispersed Iron Phthalocyanines as Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts

“…The extensive use of conventional fossil resources has driven the accelerated advancement of technologies related to clean energy conversion and storage. Among these technologies, rechargeable metal–air batteries have been considered highly promising candidates, primarily owing to their exceptional theoretical energy density, cost-effectiveness, and environmentally friendly nature. − Nevertheless, the sluggish kinetics associated with oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) severely limits their applications on a large scale, emphasizing the increasing need for critical electrode materials with high activity and durability. − Under these circumstances, noble metal-based catalysts (Pt/C, RuO 2 , and IrO 2 ) have been studied as the primary electrocatalysts for the ORR and OER due to their exceptional catalytic performance. , However, their commercial utilization is restricted by high cost and relatively low stability under working conditions. , Significant efforts have thus been dedicated to the development of cost-effective and high-performance bifunctional oxygen catalysts that can efficiently and reliably drive both ORR and OER simultaneously. − …”

Pore-edge graphitic nitride-dominant hierarchically porous carbons for boosting oxygen reduction catalysis

“…The recent prosperity in the energy economy has induced the increasing depletion of chemical fuels, and the development of renewable energy resources is considered an effective means to solve this. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), as a key cathodic electrode reaction, plays an important role in many electrochemical energy equipment (metal-air batteries, fuel batteries, etc.) for renewable energy storage.…”