Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes/nanoparticles confined Co/FeCo composites with metal-nitrogen sites for efficient multifunctional electrocatalysis

The investigation into economical, high-efficiency, and multifunctional electrocatalysts is crucially underpinning the advancement of green energy devices. In present study, a cobalt/iron-cobalt confined in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube/nanoparticle composite (Co/FeCo-NCNT/NP) was facilely synthesized through co- precipitation and high-temperature pyrolysis. Benefiting from the presence of multiple metals, the resultant composite is distinguished by a large specific surface area, porous features, and heterostructure, along with the favorable pyridinic N, metal-N-x, graphitic N, and defects. Co/FeCo-NCNT/NP displays exceptional tri-functional electrocatalytic behavior towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with HER and OER overpotential of 228 and 339 mV at 10 mA cm(-2), and a ORR half-wave potential of 0.91 V vs. RHE. Moreover, Co/FeCo-NCNT exhibits good performance for overall water splitting and rechargeable zinc air batteries. This research contributes significant insights toward designing and fabricating versatile catalysts with metal-organic frameworks.