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Atomically Dispersed Cobalt Trifunctional Electrocatalysts with Tailored Coordination Environment for Flexible Rechargeable Zn–Air Battery and Self‐Driven Water Splitting
Author(s) -
Zhang Zheye,
Zhao Xiaoxu,
Xi Shibo,
Zhang Lili,
Chen Zhongxin,
Zeng Zhiping,
Huang Ming,
Yang Hongbin,
Liu Bin,
Pennycook Stephen J.,
Chen Peng
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.202002896
Subject(s) - catalysis , materials science , electrocatalyst , battery (electricity) , oxygen evolution , chemical engineering , water splitting , cobalt , carbon fibers , oxygen reduction reaction , nanotechnology , dopant , electrode , electrochemistry , doping , chemistry , power (physics) , organic chemistry , optoelectronics , metallurgy , physics , quantum mechanics , photocatalysis , engineering , composite material , composite number
Designing multifunctional catalysts with high activity, stability, and low‐cost for energy storage and conversion is a significant challenge. Herein, a trifunctional electrocatalyst is synthesized by anchoring individually dispersed Co atoms on N and S codoped hollow carbon spheres (CoSA/N,S‐HCS), which exhibits outstanding catalytic activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, and hydrogen evolution reaction. When equipped in liquid or flexible solid‐state rechargeable Zn–air batteries, CoSA/N,S‐HCS endows them with high power and energy density as well as excellent long‐term cycling stability, outperforming benchmark batteries based on a commercial Pt/C + RuO 2 dual catalyst system. Furthermore, a self‐driven water splitting system powered by flexible Zn–air batteries is demonstrated using CoSA/N,S‐HCS as the sole catalyst, giving a high H 2 evolution rate of 184 mmol h −1 . The state‐of‐art experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal synergistic cooperation between atomically dispersed CoN 4 active sites, nearby electron‐donating S dopants, and the unique carbon support to single‐atom catalysts (SACs). This work demonstrates a general strategy to design various multifunctional SAC systems with a tailored coordination environment.