ZnO修饰碳基复合纳米材料的制备及其在锌-空气电池中的应用

Preparation of ZnO Modified Carbon-based Nano-materials and its Application in Zinc-air Batteries

作为一种新兴的能源技术,可充电金属-空气电池因具有循环转换电能与化学能的能力而备受关注,并在替代传统金属离子电池方面具有广阔的应用前景。然而,可充电金属-空气电池的实际应用受到阴极氧化还原反应速率缓慢、Pt/C金属催化剂成本高昂及稳定性不佳等因素的制约。基于此,本研究报道了一种简便制备锌-空气电池廉价阴极催化剂的方法,采用富含氮的苯甲酸铵作为前驱体,通过一锅法热解成功合成了ZnO修饰碳基复合纳米电催化剂(ZnO/NC-800)。电化学测试结果表明,该催化剂在碱性电解液中表现出优异的氧还原催化活性,且稳定性和安全性较好,ZnO/NC-800催化剂组装的锌-空气电池表现出与碳载铂电池相媲美的性能。

Rechargeable metal-air batteries have attracted significant attention due to their ability to cyclically convert electrical energy into chemical energy,with broad potential to replace traditional metal-ion batteries.However,the practical application of these batteries faces challenges such as the slow kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction and the high cost and poor stability of Pt/C metal catalysts.In this study,we propose a cost-effective synthesis method for a cathode catalyst designed for zinc-air batteries.Utilizing nitrogen-rich ammonium benzoate as a precursor,we successfully synthesized a ZnO-modified carbon-based nanocomposite electrocatalyst(ZnO/NC-800)through a one-pot pyrolysis process.Electrochemical tests reveal that this catalyst demonstrates excellent catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline electrolytes,showing remarkable activity,stability and safety.When employed as the cathode in zinc-air batteries,the ZnO/NC-800 catalyst exhibits superior performance comparable to carbon-supported platinum(Pt/C).