Heterogeneous assembling 3D free-standing Co@carbon membrane enabling efficient fluid and flexible zinc-air batteries
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Bo Wang(
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Developing an efficient, interface-rich, and free-standing non-noble-metal electrocatalyst is vital for the flexible zinc-air batteries (ZABs). Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) heterogeneous carbon-based flexible membrane was assembled by Co@carbon nanosheets/carbon nanotubes and hollow carbon nanofiber (Co@NS/CNT-CNF) as an efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst with a positive half-wave potential of 0.846 V and a small Tafel slope of 79 mV·dec−1. Meanwhile, the Co@NS/CNT-CNF electrode also exhibits excellent open-circuit voltage, peak power density, and long-time cycling stability in liquid-state ZABs (1.605 V, 163 mW·cm−2, and 400 h) and flexible ZABs under flat/bending condition (1.47 V, 102 mW·cm−2, and 80 h). Such heterogeneous flexible membrane architecture not only optimizes the electrolyte infiltration, but also provides capacious possibility for O2 and electrolyte transfer. Meanwhile, work-function analyses coupled with density functional theory (DFT) results demonstrate that the electron transfer capability and metal–support interaction can be well optimized in the obtained Co@NS/CNT-CNF catalyst.
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Heterogeneous assembling 3D free-standing Co@carbon membrane enabling efficient fluid and flexible zinc-air batteries
), Bo Wang(
)
Abstract
Developing an efficient, interface-rich, and free-standing non-noble-metal electrocatalyst is vital for the flexible zinc-air batteries (ZABs). Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) heterogeneous carbon-based flexible membrane was assembled by Co@carbon nanosheets/carbon nanotubes and hollow carbon nanofiber (Co@NS/CNT-CNF) as an efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst with a positive half-wave potential of 0.846 V and a small Tafel slope of 79 mV·dec−1. Meanwhile, the Co@NS/CNT-CNF electrode also exhibits excellent open-circuit voltage, peak power density, and long-time cycling stability in liquid-state ZABs (1.605 V, 163 mW·cm−2, and 400 h) and flexible ZABs under flat/bending condition (1.47 V, 102 mW·cm−2, and 80 h). Such heterogeneous flexible membrane architecture not only optimizes the electrolyte infiltration, but also provides capacious possibility for O2 and electrolyte transfer. Meanwhile, work-function analyses coupled with density functional theory (DFT) results demonstrate that the electron transfer capability and metal–support interaction can be well optimized in the obtained Co@NS/CNT-CNF catalyst.
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Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the support from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2020YFB1506300), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21625102, 21971017, 21922502, 22075018, 51991344, 52025025, and 52072400), and Beijing Institute of Technology Research Fund Program.
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