Graphdiyne oxide-mediated synthesis of amorphous high-entropy sulfides for highly stable zinc–air batteries

Developing efficient and durable air cathodes is pivotal yet challenging for high-performance rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZABs). Herein, we present an innovative strategy that leverages graphdiyne oxide (GDYO) as a multifunctional mediator to construct amorphous high-entropy sulfides-GDYO composite (a-HESs-GDYO). The unique characteristics of GDYO, including its abundant oxygen-containing groups, electron-rich alkyne bonds, and triangular nanopores, exert triple synergistic regulatory effects. This mechanism involves the coordinated dispersion of metal cations, electrostatic anchoring of metal nuclei, and confined growth within the pores, effectively addressing the common synthesis challenges of easy crystallization and elemental segregation encountered in a-HESs. Leveraging the GDYO-induced amorphous structure, the synergistic effect among multi-metal components of high-entropy sulfides, as well as stable structural reconstruction and anti-agglomeration capability, a-HESs-GDYO delivers good dual-functional catalytic performance in zinc–air batteries. Specifically, the a-HESs-GDYO catalyst exhibits enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), showcasing a half-wave potential of 0.66 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and superior stability, representing an increase of 60 mV compared to crystalline HESs. When assembled as the air cathode of ZABs, the device demonstrates impressive performance, delivering a power density of 133 mW·cm⁻², a specific capacity of 725 mAh·g⁻¹, and long-term stability exceeding 1500 h of operation. This study provides an effective and general synthetic strategy for high-performance amorphous high-entropy catalysts and establishes a robust paradigm for their application in next-generation energy storage devices.