Coordinated Co-NC/CoFe dual active centre embedded three-dimensional ordered macroporous framework as bifunctional catalyst for efficient and stable zinc-air batteries

Developing efficient and stable multifunctional electrocatalyst is very important for zinc-air batteries in practical. Herein, semiconductive spinel CuFe2O4 supported Co-N co-doped carbon (Co-NC) and CoFe alloy nanoparticles were proposed. In this strategy, the three-dimensional ordered macroporous CuFe2O4 support provides rich channels for mass transmission, revealling good corrosion-resistance and durability at the same time. ZIF-67 derived Co-NC decoration improves the conductivity of the catalyst. Further, the uniformly distributed Co-NC and CoFe nanoparticles (C/CF) dramatically promote the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. Accordingly, C/CF@CuFe2O4 catalyst shows remarkable bifunctional electrocatalytic activity, with an ORR half-wave potential of 0.86 V, and an OER over-potential of 0.46 V at 10 mA cm(-2). The zinc-air battery using this catalyst exhibits a power density of 95.5 mW cm(-2) and a durable cyclability for over 170 h at a current density of 10 mA cm(-2), which implies a great potential in practical application.