@article{Zhang2026, 
author = {Chun Zhang and Chengbin Wang and Kaicai Fan and Kunpeng Gao and Zumin Wang and Porun Liu and Bin Li and Zhenyu Xiao and Tianrong Zhan and Lei Wang and Lingbo Zong},
title = {Inverse opal structured Fe single-atom catalyst enables highly stable rechargeable Zn-air batteries and energy saving chlor-alkali electrolysis},
year = {2026},
journal = {Nano Research},
keywords = {oxygen reduction reaction, single atom catalyst, Zn-air battery, chlor-alkali electrolysis, inverse opal structure},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2026.94908797},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2026.94908797},
abstract = {Developing active and durable air cathodes for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is pivotal for rechargeable aqueous Zn-air battery (A-ZAB) and chlor-alkali electrolysis. Fe-N-C single-atom catalysts have shown great promise, yet the critical role of the carbon support structure remains underexplored. Herein, we report the Fe single-atom on hierarchically ordered porous carbon (Fe-N-HOC) with an inverse opal structure. Fe-N-HOC features high-density Fe-N4 sites and delivers highly active ORR performance in alkaline media, attaining substantially enhanced half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.90 V. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations manifest that the curved configuration Fe-N4 enhances electron transfer, weakens the binding strength of oxygen intermediates, and reduces the energy barrier of *OH desorption significantly by 0.79 eV relative to planar analogues, boosting ORR kinetics. Consequently, Fe-N-HOC delivers excellent durability, with only 8 mV loss in E1/2 after 50,000 cycles. In practical applications, A-ZAB with Fe-N-HOC achieves remarkable cycling for 1600 h at 5 mA cm−2. Fe-N-HOC-based quasi-solid-state ZAB (QSS-ZAB) also exhibits large peak power density of 216.7 mW cm−2 and extended cycle life (>130 h) across the current densities of 0.5−2.0 mA cm−2. Furthermore, in chlor-alkali electrolysis, the Fe-N-HOC||RuO2 system operates at 1.62 V for large current density of 300 mA cm−2 with minimal performance decay. This work presents a multi-dimensional modification strategy encompassing morphology control, element doping, and electronic tuning, providing crucial guidance for the development of efficient catalysts in energy conversion and storage systems.}
}