Electrocatalytic performance of Ni-promoted Co nanoclusters supported by N-doped carbon foams for rechargeable Zn-air batteries

Abstract

Ni/Co diatomic clusters supported on nitrogen-doped carbon foams are prepared via molten salt method to improve the density of surface active sites of zinc-air battery catalysts and further explore metal-modified carbon-based catalysts. The influence of Co and Ni atoms on the carbon foam structure is investigated by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy, and the presence of metal atoms in N-doped carbon foams is confirmed by X-ray spectroscopy. The left shift of the diffraction peak of Co doped graphitic carbon indicates an increase in the interlayer spacing and a reduced graphitization degree, while the introducton of Ni atoms promotes graphitization. For Ni–Co/NFC-2, Ni inhibits the insertion of Co in carbon layer by increasing graphitization, thus exposing more Co-active substances on the surface, which is important for improving the catalytic process of ORR and OER. According to electrochemical tests, Ni–Co co-doped carbons exhibited superior bi-functional electrocatalytic performance with oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) Eonset = 0.97 V and a Tafel slope of 49.5 mV dec−1, accompanied by oxygen evolution reaction (OER) Ej = 10 mA cm−2 = 1.46 V. Zinc-air battery (ZAB) cell, utilizing the developed material as a catalyst, exhibited a high discharge power density of 138 mW cm−2 with stable performance for up to 200 h.