Synthesis of dual-metal single atom in porous carbon with efficient oxygen reduction reaction in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes

Jiayi Zhao; Lingbo Zong; Lixiu Cui; Fenghong Lu; Zhenyu Xiao; Lei Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2022.11.147

Synthesis of dual-metal single atom in porous carbon with efficient oxygen reduction reaction in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Mar:633:828-835. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.11.147. Epub 2022 Nov 30.

Authors

Jiayi Zhao¹, Lingbo Zong², Lixiu Cui¹, Fenghong Lu¹, Zhenyu Xiao¹, Lei Wang³

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Eco-chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China.
² Key Laboratory of Eco-chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China. Electronic address: lingbozong@qust.edu.cn.
³ Key Laboratory of Eco-chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China. Electronic address: inorchemwl@126.com.

PMID: 36495805
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.11.147

Abstract

The rational design and fabrication of platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) via economically feasible approach is essential for reducing the cost of fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Catalysts must have very high activity, and excellent mass diffusion of reactants. Herein, we display a high-performing dual-metal single atom catalyst (DM-SAC) composed of Fe and Ni SA active sites immobilized in porous carbon nanospheres (Fe/Ni-N-PCS), prepared via defects/vacancies anchoring strategy. The abundant and accessible edge-hosted Fe and Ni SA active sites can promote the adsorption/desorption behavior for ORR intermediates attributing to possible synergistic effects between dual-metal SA active sites. Thus, the as-developed Fe/Ni-N-PCS DM-SAC exhibits impressive ORR electrocatalytic performance in both alkaline (E_onset = 1.04 V, E_1/2 = 0.9 V) and acid solutions (E_onset = 0.87 V, E_1/2 = 0.71 V), and high stability, outperforming SACs with solo Fe-N_x or Ni-N_x active sites, and benchmark PGM. Fe/Ni-N-PCS also exhibits superior oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance with low overpotential and long-term stability. Zn-air battery with Fe/Ni-N-PCS cathode yields encouraging performance, including working potential, peak power density, and the stability of charge and discharge cycles. Our synthesis method may promote the fabrication of other DM-SAC and the great promise in practical applications.

Keywords: Dual-metal single atom catalyst; Edge-hosted SA active site; Oxygen reduction reaction; Porous carbon nanospheres.