Isolated Zn-Co Atomic Pair for Highly Active and Durable Oxygen Reduction.

Isolated Zn-Co Atomic Pair for Highly Active and Durable Oxygen Reduction.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2019 Jan 02;:
Authors: Lu Z, Wang B, Hu Y, Liu W, Zhao Y, Yang R, Li Z, Luo J, Chi B, Jiang Z, Li M, Mu S, Liao S, Zhang J, Sun X
Abstract
N-coordinated nonprecious dual metal catalysts have demonstrated superior catalytic activity by offering more concentrated active sites. However a rational design of such system remains conceptually challenging which requires in-depth research both experimentally and theoretically. Herein, we develop a competitive complexation strategy to construct a novel electrocatalyst with Zn-Co atomic pairs coordinated on N doped carbon support (Zn/CoN-C). Such architecture offers enhanced binding ability of O2, significantly elongates the O-O length (from 1.23 Å to 1.42 Å), and thus facilitates the cleavage of O-O bond, showing a theoretical overpotential of 0.335V during ORR process. As a result, the Zn/CoN-C catalyst exhibits outstanding ORR performance in both alkaline and acid conditions with a half-wave potential of 0.861 and 0.796 V respectively. The assembled zinc-air battery with Zn/CoN-C as cathode catalyst presents a maximum power density of 230 mW cm-2 along with excellent operation durability. The excellent catalytic activity in acid is also verified by H2/O2 fuel cell tests (peak power density of 705 mW cm-2).
PMID: 30600864 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Angewandte Chemie - January 2, 2019 Category: Chemistry Authors: Lu Z, Wang B, Hu Y, Liu W, Zhao Y, Yang R, Li Z, Luo J, Chi B, Jiang Z, Li M, Mu S, Liao S, Zhang J, Sun X Tags: Angew Chem Int Ed Engl Source Type: research