Premium
Photo‐excited Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions Enable a High‐Performance Zn–Air Battery
Author(s) -
Du Dongfeng,
Zhao Shuo,
Zhu Zhuo,
Li Fujun,
Chen Jun
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202005929
Subject(s) - battery (electricity) , cathode , anode , voltage , oxygen , materials science , photoelectric effect , optoelectronics , excited state , high voltage , energy storage , oxygen evolution , photochemistry , chemical engineering , electrode , chemistry , electrical engineering , electrochemistry , atomic physics , power (physics) , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , engineering
The storage of solar energy in battery systems is pivotal for a sustainable society, which faces many challenges. Herein, a Zn–air battery is constructed with two cathodes of poly(1,4‐di(2‐thienyl))benzene (PDTB) and TiO 2 grown on carbon papers to sandwich a Zn anode. The PDTB cathode is illuminated in a discharging process, in which photoelectrons are excited into the conduction band of PDTB to promote oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and raise the output voltage. In a reverse process, holes in the valence band of the illuminated TiO 2 cathode are driven for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by an applied voltage. A record‐high discharge voltage of 1.90 V and an unprecedented low charge voltage of 0.59 V are achieved in the photo‐involved Zn–air battery, regardless of the equilibrium voltage. This work offers an innovative pathway for photo‐energy utilization in rechargeable batteries.