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Tailored Porous ZnCo 2 O 4 Nanofibrous Electrocatalysts for Lithium–Oxygen Batteries
Author(s) -
Kim JaeChan,
Lee GwangHee,
Lee Seun,
Oh SeungIk,
Kang Yongku,
Kim DongWan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
advanced materials interfaces
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.671
H-Index - 65
ISSN - 2196-7350
DOI - 10.1002/admi.201701234
Subject(s) - materials science , nanofiber , electrospinning , cathode , lithium (medication) , chemical engineering , porosity , current density , nanostructure , catalysis , electrode , dissolution , etching (microfabrication) , oxygen , nanotechnology , composite material , organic chemistry , polymer , chemistry , medicine , physics , layer (electronics) , quantum mechanics , endocrinology , engineering
Lithium‐oxygen batteries are considered a next‐generation technology owing to their extremely high theoretical energy density despite many challenges such as low round‐trip efficiency and poor cyclability. The air‐cathode structure and pore properties play a key role in solving these problems. In this study, we fabricate ZnCo 2 O 4 nanofibers and design a porous nanostructure using a facile electrospinning process and selective etching of ZnO as the cathode material in lithium‐oxygen batteries. First, non‐porous ZnCo 2 O 4 nanofiber electrodes accomplish high catalytic activity and good cycling stability during 116 cycles with a limited capacity of 1000 mA h g −1 at a current density of 500 mA g −1 . For enhanced catalytic activity and cyclability, ZnO included ZnCo 2 O 4 nanofibers are prepared using a Zn‐excess electrospun solution and porous ZnCo 2 O 4 nanofibers are fabricated via selective etching of ZnO. Porous ZnCo 2 O 4 nanofiber electrodes exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity and cyclability for 226 cycles with a limited capacity of 1000 mA h g −1 at a current density of 500 mA g −1 . The exceptional catalytic properties explain the synergistic effect of the one‐dimensional nanostructure and porous structure with an appropriate pore diameter, providing a large active site and an efficient electron pathway during the Li 2 O 2 formation/decomposition process.