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Single Fe Atom on Hierarchically Porous S, N‐Codoped Nanocarbon Derived from Porphyra Enable Boosted Oxygen Catalysis for Rechargeable Zn‐Air Batteries
Author(s) -
Zhang Jiting,
Zhang Meng,
Zeng Yan,
Chen Jisheng,
Qiu Lingxi,
Zhou Hua,
Sun Chengjun,
Yu Ying,
Zhu Chengzhou,
Zhu Zhihong
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201900307
Subject(s) - bifunctional , oxygen evolution , electrocatalyst , overpotential , catalysis , battery (electricity) , materials science , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , inorganic chemistry , electrode , chemistry , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Iron–nitrogen–carbon materials (Fe–N–C) are known for their excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance. Unfortunately, they generally show a laggard oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity, which results in a lethargic charging performance in rechargeable Zn–air batteries. Here porous S‐doped Fe–N–C nanosheets are innovatively synthesized utilizing a scalable FeCl 3 ‐encapsulated‐porphyra precursor pyrolysis strategy. The obtained electrocatalyst exhibits ultrahigh ORR activity ( E 1/2 = 0.84 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode) and impressive OER performance ( E j = 10 = 1.64 V). The potential gap (Δ E = E j = 10 − E 1/2 ) is 0.80 V, outperforming that of most highly active bifunctional electrocatalysts reported to date. Furthermore, the key role of S involved in the atomically dispersed Fe–N x species on the enhanced ORR and OER activities is expounded for the first time by ultrasound‐assisted extraction of the exclusive S source (taurine) from porphyra. Moreover, the assembled rechargeable Zn–air battery comprising this bifunctional electrocatalyst exhibits higher power density (225.1 mW cm −2 ) and lower charging–discharging overpotential (1.00 V, 100 mA cm −2 compared to Pt/C + RuO 2 catalyst). The design strategy can expand the utilization of earth‐abundant biomaterial‐derived catalysts, and the mechanism investigations of S doping on the structure–activity relationship can inspire the progress of other functional electrocatalysts.