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In Situ Coupling of Strung Co4N and Intertwined N-C Fibers toward Free-Standing Bifunctional Cathode for Robust, Efficient, and Flexible Zn-Air Batteries
- Source :
- Journal of the American Chemical Society. 138(32)
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Flexible power sources with high energy density are crucial for the realization of next-generation flexible electronics. Theoretically, rechargeable flexible zinc-air (Zn-air) batteries could provide high specific energy, while their large-scale applications are still greatly hindered by high cost and resources scarcity of noble-metal-based oxygen evolution reaction (OER)/oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts as well as inferior mechanical properties of the air cathode. Combining metallic Co4N with superior OER activity and Co-N-C with perfect ORR activity on a free-standing and flexible electrode could be a good step for flexible Zn-air batteries, while lots of difficulties need to be overcome. Herein, as a proof-of-concept experiment, we first propose a strategy for in situ coupling of strung Co4N and intertwined N-C fibers, by pyrolyzation of the novel pearl-like ZIF-67/polypyrrole nanofibers network rooted on carbon cloth. Originating from the synergistic effect of Co4N and Co-N-C and the stable 3D interconnected conductive network structure, the obtained free-standing and highly flexible bifunctional oxygen electrode exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability for both OER and ORR in terms of low overpotential (310 mV at 10 mA cm(-2)) for OER, a positive half-wave potential (0.8 V) for ORR, and a stable current density retention for at least 20 h, and especially, the obtained Zn-air batteries exhibit a low discharge-charge voltage gap (1.09 V at 50 mA cm(-2)) and long cycle life (up to 408 cycles). Furthermore, the perfect bendable and twistable and rechargeable properties of the flexible Zn-air battery particularly make it a potentially power portable and wearable electronic device.
- Subjects :
- Oxygen evolution
Nanotechnology
02 engineering and technology
General Chemistry
010402 general chemistry
021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology
Polypyrrole
01 natural sciences
Biochemistry
Catalysis
Flexible electronics
Cathode
0104 chemical sciences
law.invention
chemistry.chemical_compound
Colloid and Surface Chemistry
chemistry
law
Nanofiber
Electrode
Specific energy
0210 nano-technology
Bifunctional
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15205126
- Volume :
- 138
- Issue :
- 32
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of the American Chemical Society
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....b42d0df0986159eaf68eabf70082d52d