TY - JOUR
T1 - Synergistic interface engineering of FeNi-LDH/N-doped carbon hybrids for an ultra-low bifunctional voltage gap in zinc–air batteries
AU - Liu, Yingkang
AU - Yang, Tingting
AU - Yang, Juan
AU - Chang, Ruirui
AU - Zhou, Xiangyang
AU - Zhang, Sijing
AU - Yang, Lei
AU - Xu, Zhenglong
AU - Xu, Haikun
AU - Tang, Jingjing
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2026.
PY - 2026
Y1 - 2026
N2 - Bifunctional electrocatalysts are pivotal in addressing the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in rechargeable zinc–air batteries. While carbon-based non-noble metal catalysts and transition metal hydroxides have demonstrated promising monofunctional catalytic performance in oxygen-related reaction processes, their integration into bifunctional catalysts with synergistic advantages, such as cost-effectiveness, extended cycle life, and high activity compared to commercial noble-metal benchmarks, remains scientifically challenging. Specifically, the rational design principles for achieving optimal bifunctionality and the underlying mechanism of component interactions require further elucidation. In this work, we develop low-loading FeNi layered double hydroxide (LDH) porous carbon composites (Fe/Ni–NC@LDH) via the hydrothermal method, achieving an ultralow bifunctional voltage gap (ΔE = 0.649 V). The assembled zinc–air battery demonstrates outstanding durability with 300 cycles at 10 mA cm−2, retaining 53.8% voltage efficiency after 100 hours of continuous operation, significantly outperforming Pt/C + IrO2 counterparts, which suffered from severe polarization in less than 10 hours. Combined XPS characterization and DFT calculations indicate that hydrothermal FeNi-LDH deposition modifies the surface coordination environment and the local electronic structure of the carbon-based matrix, providing a plausible interfacial origin for the improved bifunctional electrocatalytic behavior. Remarkably, the designed catalyst not only preserves the inherent ORR advantages of carbon-supported non-precious metal systems but also substantially boosts OER capability, resulting in significantly improved charge–discharge durability. This interfacial engineering strategy provides fundamental insights for developing advanced non-noble metal bifunctional electrocatalysts toward next-generation metal–air battery technologies.
AB - Bifunctional electrocatalysts are pivotal in addressing the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in rechargeable zinc–air batteries. While carbon-based non-noble metal catalysts and transition metal hydroxides have demonstrated promising monofunctional catalytic performance in oxygen-related reaction processes, their integration into bifunctional catalysts with synergistic advantages, such as cost-effectiveness, extended cycle life, and high activity compared to commercial noble-metal benchmarks, remains scientifically challenging. Specifically, the rational design principles for achieving optimal bifunctionality and the underlying mechanism of component interactions require further elucidation. In this work, we develop low-loading FeNi layered double hydroxide (LDH) porous carbon composites (Fe/Ni–NC@LDH) via the hydrothermal method, achieving an ultralow bifunctional voltage gap (ΔE = 0.649 V). The assembled zinc–air battery demonstrates outstanding durability with 300 cycles at 10 mA cm−2, retaining 53.8% voltage efficiency after 100 hours of continuous operation, significantly outperforming Pt/C + IrO2 counterparts, which suffered from severe polarization in less than 10 hours. Combined XPS characterization and DFT calculations indicate that hydrothermal FeNi-LDH deposition modifies the surface coordination environment and the local electronic structure of the carbon-based matrix, providing a plausible interfacial origin for the improved bifunctional electrocatalytic behavior. Remarkably, the designed catalyst not only preserves the inherent ORR advantages of carbon-supported non-precious metal systems but also substantially boosts OER capability, resulting in significantly improved charge–discharge durability. This interfacial engineering strategy provides fundamental insights for developing advanced non-noble metal bifunctional electrocatalysts toward next-generation metal–air battery technologies.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105049697148
U2 - 10.1039/d6nr02398c
DO - 10.1039/d6nr02398c
M3 - 文章
C2 - 42708238
AN - SCOPUS:105049697148
SN - 2040-3364
JO - Nanoscale
JF - Nanoscale
ER -