LaNiO3 modified with Ag nanoparticles as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc–air batteries

Abstract

No-precious bifunctional catalysts with high electrochemical activities and stability were crucial to properties of rechargeable zinc-air batteries. Herein, LaNiO3 modified with Ag nanoparticles (Ag/LaNiO3) was prepared by the co-synthesis method and evaluated as the bifunctional oxygen catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Compared with LaNiO3, Ag/LaNiO3 demonstrated the enhanced catalytic activity towards ORR/OER as well as higher limited current density and lower onset potential. Moreover, the potential gap between ORR potential (at −3 mA·cm−2) and OER potential (at 5 mA·cm−2) was 1.16 V. The maximum power density of the primary zinc-air battery with Ag/LaNiO3 catalyst achieved 60 mW·cm−2. Furthermore, rechargeable zinc-air batteries operated reversible charge-discharge cycles for 150 cycles without noticeable performance deterioration, which showed its excellent bifunctional activity and cycling stability as oxygen electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc-air batteries. These results indicated that Ag/LaNiO3 prepared by the co-synthesis method was a promising bifunctional catalyst for rechargeable zinc-air batteries.