CoFe−FF Derived CoFe Alloy@N, P-Doped Carbon Composites: Preparation and Zinc-Air Battery Performance Evaluation

Developing efficient bifunctional catalysts for air cathodes is crucial for enhancing the performance of zinc-air batteries (ZABs). In this study, we synthesized N, P-codoped carbon-coated CoFe alloy nanoparticles (CoFe@NPC−1) using a one-step high-temperature pyrolysis method. The precursor was cobalt-iron formic acid framework (CoFe−FF), while dicyandiamide served as the nitrogen source and phytic acid as the phosphorus source. The resulting electrocatalyst exhibited a half-wave potential of 0.83 V in 0.1 M KOH for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and an overpotential of 310 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1 M KOH. A zinc-air battery assembled with a CoFe@NPC−1 air cathode demonstrated an open-circuit voltage of 1.40 V and a specific capacity of 700.8 mAh g−1, showcasing superior durability compared to the Pt/C+RuO2 catalyst. The satisfactory bifunctional catalytic activity of this simple composition can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the N and P elements, which effectively regulate the electrons around carbon atoms, as well as the bimetallic CoFe alloy. This study provides novel methods and insights for synthesizing CoFe alloy composite N, P-doped porous carbon as highly efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction.