Perovskite nanoparticles@N-doped carbon nanofibers as robust and efficient oxygen electrocatalysts for Zn-air batteries

We applied a novel solid-liquid co-electrospinning approach to synthesize hybrid LaCoO3 perovskite nanoparticles@nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (LCNP@NCNF) as an effective and robust electrocata-lyst for Zn-air batteries. LCNP@NCNF featured an integrated structure with well-crystallized perovskite nanoparticles uniformly distributed in micro/mesoporous NCNF. In addition, LCNP@NCNF exhibited a high specific surface area of similar to 183.3 m(2) g(-1) and a large pore volume of similar to 0.164 m(3) g(-1). The rotating electrode measurement revealed the better intrinsic activity and more favorable stability of LCNP@NCNF in comparison with their counterparts. Moreover, Zn-air batteries employing LCNP@NCNF showed a relatively smaller discharge-charge voltage gap of similar to 0.95 V and longer cycling stability than the battery adopting the physically blended LCNP and NCNF. We ascribed the improved electrochemical activity to the enhanced synergistic interaction originating from the successful coupling of LCNP and NCNF. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, hybrid LaCoO3 perovskite nanoparticles@nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (LCNP@NCNF) were successfully synthesized and demonstrated to be an effective electrocatalyst for Zn-air batteries. The enhanced electrochemical activity of LCNP@NCNF was attributed to the synergistic interaction between well-crystallized perovskite nanoparticles and nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers.