Cheng-Xiao Xu, Jin-Jie Zhang, Hong-Rui Dou, Yu-Zheng Li, Da-Ming Li, Ying-Jie Zhang, Bo Liu, Prabha Inbaraj, Pei-Pei Huo
{"title":"Fe4N particles embedded in nitrogen-doped electrospun carbon nanofibers as efficient ORR catalysts for zinc-air battery","authors":"Cheng-Xiao Xu, Jin-Jie Zhang, Hong-Rui Dou, Yu-Zheng Li, Da-Ming Li, Ying-Jie Zhang, Bo Liu, Prabha Inbaraj, Pei-Pei Huo","doi":"10.1007/s12598-024-03167-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The development of efficient, cost-effective catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for advancing zinc-air batteries (ZABs). This study presents Fe<sub>4</sub>N nanoparticles embedded in N-doped carbon nanofibers (Fe<sub>4</sub>N@CNF-NH<sub>3</sub>) as a highly efficient ORR catalyst. The Fe<sub>4</sub>N@CNF-NH<sub>3</sub> catalyst was synthesized via electrospinning, followed by high-temperature annealing in an NH<sub>3</sub> atmosphere. This electrospinning technique ensured the uniform dispersion of Fe<sub>4</sub>N nanoparticles within the carbon nanofibers (CNFs), preventing agglomeration and enhancing the availability of active sites. Structural and morphological analyses confirmed the formation of Fe<sub>4</sub>N nanoparticles with a lattice spacing of 0.213 nm, surrounded by graphitic carbon structures that significantly improved the material’s conductivity and stability. Electrochemical tests demonstrated that Fe<sub>4</sub>N@CNF-NH<sub>3</sub> exhibited superior ORR activity, with a half-wave potential of 0.904 V, surpassing that of commercial Pt/C catalysts. This enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of Fe<sub>4</sub>N nanoparticles and the conductive carbon framework, which facilitated efficient charge and mass transfer during the ORR process. Density functional theory calculations further revealed that the introduction of CNFs positively shifted the d-band center of Fe atoms, optimizing oxygen intermediate adsorption and lowering energy barriers for ORR. The practical applicability of Fe<sub>4</sub>N@CNF-NH<sub>3</sub> was validated through the assembly of both liquid-state and solid-state ZABs, which exhibited excellent cycling stability, high power density, and superior discharge voltage. This study offers a promising strategy for developing highly active, low-cost ORR catalysts and advances the potential for the commercialization of ZABs.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\n<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":749,"journal":{"name":"Rare Metals","volume":"44 5","pages":"3156 - 3169"},"PeriodicalIF":9.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Rare Metals","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12598-024-03167-w","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The development of efficient, cost-effective catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for advancing zinc-air batteries (ZABs). This study presents Fe4N nanoparticles embedded in N-doped carbon nanofibers (Fe4N@CNF-NH3) as a highly efficient ORR catalyst. The Fe4N@CNF-NH3 catalyst was synthesized via electrospinning, followed by high-temperature annealing in an NH3 atmosphere. This electrospinning technique ensured the uniform dispersion of Fe4N nanoparticles within the carbon nanofibers (CNFs), preventing agglomeration and enhancing the availability of active sites. Structural and morphological analyses confirmed the formation of Fe4N nanoparticles with a lattice spacing of 0.213 nm, surrounded by graphitic carbon structures that significantly improved the material’s conductivity and stability. Electrochemical tests demonstrated that Fe4N@CNF-NH3 exhibited superior ORR activity, with a half-wave potential of 0.904 V, surpassing that of commercial Pt/C catalysts. This enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of Fe4N nanoparticles and the conductive carbon framework, which facilitated efficient charge and mass transfer during the ORR process. Density functional theory calculations further revealed that the introduction of CNFs positively shifted the d-band center of Fe atoms, optimizing oxygen intermediate adsorption and lowering energy barriers for ORR. The practical applicability of Fe4N@CNF-NH3 was validated through the assembly of both liquid-state and solid-state ZABs, which exhibited excellent cycling stability, high power density, and superior discharge voltage. This study offers a promising strategy for developing highly active, low-cost ORR catalysts and advances the potential for the commercialization of ZABs.
期刊介绍:
Rare Metals is a monthly peer-reviewed journal published by the Nonferrous Metals Society of China. It serves as a platform for engineers and scientists to communicate and disseminate original research articles in the field of rare metals. The journal focuses on a wide range of topics including metallurgy, processing, and determination of rare metals. Additionally, it showcases the application of rare metals in advanced materials such as superconductors, semiconductors, composites, and ceramics.