Electronic Tuning of Core-Shell CoNi Nanoalloy/N-Doped Few- Layer Graphene for Efficient Oxygen Electrocatalysis in Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries

The discovery of highly efficient, durable, and affordable bifunctional ORR/ OER electrocatalysts is of great significance for the commercialization of rechargeable metal-air batteries. Herein, we synthesized uniformly sized CoNi alloy nanoparticles encapsulated with N-doped few-layer graphene (N-FLG) sheets via pyrolysis of a CoNi dual metal-organic framework precursor. The developed CoNi/N-FLG catalyst exhibited excellent oxygen reduction activity (comparable to a commercial 20 wt % Pt/C catalyst) and outstanding oxygen evolution activity (superior to a commercial 20 wt % IrO2/C catalyst), thus enabling efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysis and stability when applied in prototype rechargeable zinc-air batteries. The remarkable electrochemical properties of CoNi/N-FLG originate from its unique core-shell structure and favorable electron penetration effects, thereby optimizing the adsorption/desorption strengths of intermediates formed during the oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions.

Automated summary

In this study, high-performance bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalysts were synthesized by encapsulating CoNi alloy nanoparticles with N-doped few-layer graphene. The developed CoNi/N-FLG catalyst exhibited excellent oxygen reduction activity and outstanding oxygen evolution activity, enabling efficient oxygen electrocatalysis and stability in prototype rechargeable zinc-air batteries.