Photothermal-boosted flexible rechargeable zinc-air battery based on Ni-doped Mn3O4 with excellent low-temperature adaptability

Abstract

As a promising flexible energy source for next-generation emerging electronic devices, the temperature adaptability and low-temperature performance retention of flexible zinc-air batteries (ZABs) remain a great challenge for their practical application. Herein, we report photothermal-promoted aqueous and flexible ZABs with enhanced performance under a wide temperature range via using Ni-doped Mn₃O₄/N-doped reduced graphene oxide (denoted as Ni-Mn₃O₄/N-rGO) nanohybrids as bifunctional electrocatalysts. Upon being exposed to near-infrared light, the Ni-Mn₃O₄/N-rGO exhibited a powerful photothermal effect, resulting in localized and immediate heating of the electrode. Such effects led to increased active sites, improved electrical conductivity, enhanced release of bubbles, and promoted surface reconstruction of the electrode catalyst as corroborated by simulation and operando Raman. Consequently, the catalytic performance was boosted, manifesting a superior activity indicator ΔE of 0.685 V with excellent durability. As expected, the corresponding photothermal-assisted rechargeable ZABs possessed an excellent maximum power density (e.g., 78.76 mW cm⁻² at −10°C), superb cycling stability (e.g., over 430 cycles at −10°C), and excellent flexibility from 25°C to subzero temperature. Our work opens up new possibilities for the development of all-climate flexible electronic devices.