Ceria nanoclusters coupled with Ce-Nx sites for efficient oxygen reduction in Zn-air batteries

Yueming Yan; Qian Zhu; Lei Cao; Feng Gu; Shiji Liu; Yuhao Luo; Feng Liu; Shufen Wang; Lanlan Fan; Shixian Xiong

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.124

Ceria nanoclusters coupled with Ce-Nx sites for efficient oxygen reduction in Zn-air batteries

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2024 Apr:659:31-39. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.124. Epub 2023 Dec 22.

Authors

Yueming Yan¹, Qian Zhu¹, Lei Cao², Feng Gu³, Shiji Liu¹, Yuhao Luo¹, Feng Liu¹, Shufen Wang⁴, Lanlan Fan⁵, Shixian Xiong⁶

Affiliations

¹ Nanchang Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing of Electronic Information Materials and Devices/Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Simulation and Modelling of Particulate Systems, International Institute for Innovation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330013, China.
² Nanchang Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing of Electronic Information Materials and Devices/Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Simulation and Modelling of Particulate Systems, International Institute for Innovation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330013, China. Electronic address: lei.cao@jxust.edu.cn.
³ Nanchang Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing of Electronic Information Materials and Devices/Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Simulation and Modelling of Particulate Systems, International Institute for Innovation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330013, China; Alber Particle Science and Technology Research Institute, Nanchang, 330000, China.
⁴ Alber Particle Science and Technology Research Institute, Nanchang, 330000, China.
⁵ Nanchang Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing of Electronic Information Materials and Devices/Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Simulation and Modelling of Particulate Systems, International Institute for Innovation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330013, China. Electronic address: llfan@jxust.edu.cn.
⁶ Nanchang Key Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing of Electronic Information Materials and Devices/Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Simulation and Modelling of Particulate Systems, International Institute for Innovation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Nanchang 330013, China. Electronic address: s.xiong@jxust.edu.cn.

PMID: 38157724
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.124

Abstract

Rational construction of efficient carbon-supported rare earth cerium nanoclusters as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great significance to promote the practical application of zinc-air batteries (ZABs). Herein, N doped conductive carbon black anchored CeO₂ nanoclusters (CeO₂ Clusters/NC) for the ORR is reported. The volatile cerium species vaporized by CeO₂ nanoclusters at high temperatures are captured by nitrogen-rich carbon carriers to form highly dispersed Ce-Nx active sites. Benefiting from the coupling effect between oxygen vacancies-enriched CeO₂ nanoclusters and highly dispersed Ce-Nx sites, the prepared 2CeO₂ Clusters/NC catalyst possesses an ORR half-wave potential of 0.88 V, superior electrochemical stability, and better methanol tolerance compared to commercial Pt/C catalysts. Moreover, the 2CeO₂ Clusters/NC involved liquid ZABs show excellent energy efficiency, superior stability, and a high energy density of 982 Wh kg^-1 at 10 mA cm^-2.

Keywords: Ce-Nx sites; CeO(2) nanoclusters; N doped carbon; Oxygen reduction reaction; Zinc-air batteries.