Co/CoSe heterojunction as bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for rechargeable Zinc-Air batteries

The construction of suitable heterostructures in materials can tune the Fermi energy levels and electron transport rates of materials to achieve attractive oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) properties. In this study, a catalyst anchored in nitrogen-doped carbon nanowires (NCNW) with a heterogeneous interface of Co and CoSe is constructed to realize high-performance ORR and OER bifunctional catalysis. These Co and CoSe heterostructure interfaces can optimize the adsorption of intermediates. The Co/CoSe@NCNW catalyst performs excellent ORR catalytic activity (E1/2 = 0.89 V), and good OER activity (potential at 10 mA/ cm2, Ej = 10 = 1.55 V). More importantly, the material shows excellent performance in rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs). The open-circuit voltages of 1.47 and 1.50 V and the peak power densities of 122.56 and 74.49 mW/cm2 in liquid and solid electrolytes, respectively, are superior to those of the ZABs prepared from noble metals. Consequently, the construction of heterogeneous structures can convincingly boost the commercialization of rechargeable ZABs, and be extended to other fields involving ORR and OER.