Cu_(3)P nanoparticles confined in nitrogen/phosphorus dual-doped porous carbon nanosheets for efficient potassium storage

Immobilizing primary electroactive nanomaterials in porous carbon matrix is an effective approach for boosting the electrochemical performance of potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) because of the synergy among functional components. Herein, an integrated hybrid architecture composed of ultrathin Cu_(3)P nanoparticles (~20 nm) confined in porous carbon nanosheets (Cu_(3)P⊂NPCSs) as a new anode material for PIBs is synthesized through a rational self-designed self-templating strategy. Benefiting from the unique structural advantages including more active heterointerfacial sites, intimate and stable electrical contact, effectively relieved volume change, and rapid K^(+) ion migration, the Cu_(3)P⊂NPCSs indicate excellent potassium-storage performance involving high reversible capacity, exceptional rate capability, and cycling stability. Moreover, the strong adsorption of K^(+) ions and fast potassium-ion reaction kinetics in Cu_(3)P⊂NPCSs is verified by the theoretical calculation investigation. Noted, the intercalation mechanism of Cu_(3)P to store potassium ions is, for the first time, clearly confirmed during the electrochemical process by a series of advanced characterization techniques.

Renewable wood-derived hierarchical porous,N-doped carbon sheet as a robust self-supporting cathodic electrode for zinc-air batteries

Heteroatom doped porous carbon materials have emerged as essential cathode material for metal-air battery systems in the context of soaring demands for clean energy conversion and storage.Herein,a three-dimensional nitrogen-doped carbon self-supported electrode(TNCSE)is fabricated through thermal treatment and acid activation of raw wood.The resulting TNCSE retains the hierarchical porous architecture of parent raw lumber and holds substantial defect sites and doped N sites in the carbon skeleton.Assembled as a cathode in the rechargeable zinc-air battery,the TNCSE exhibits a superior peak power density of 134.02 m W/cm^(2)and an energy density of 835.92 m Ah/g,significantly exceeding the ones reference commercial 20%Pt/C does.More strikingly,a limited performance decay of 1.47%after an ultra long-period(500 h)cycle is also achieved on the TNCSE.This work could offer a green and cost-save approach for rationally converting biomass into a robust self-supporting cathode material for a rechargeable zinc-air battery.

Rational design of hierarchically porous Fe-N-doped carbon as efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction and Zn-air batteries

The rational design and construction of hierarchically porous nanostructure for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts is crucial to facilitate the exposure of accessible active sites and promote the mass/electron transfer under the gas-solid-liquid triple-phase condition. Herein, an ingenious method through the pyrolysis of creative polyvinylimidazole coordination with Zn/Fe salt precursors is developed to fabricate hierarchically porous Fe-N-doped carbon framework as efficient ORR electrocatalyst. The volatilization of Zn species combined with the nanoscale Kirkendall effect of Fe dopants during the pyrolysis build the hierarchical micro-, meso-, and macroporous nanostructure with a high specific surface area (1,586 m^(2)·g^(−1)), which provide sufficient exposed active sites and multiscale mass/charge transport channels. The optimized electrocatalyst exhibits superior ORR activity and robust stability in both alkaline and acidic electrolytes. The Zn-air battery fabricated by such attractive electrocatalyst as air cathode displays a higher peak power density than that of Pt/C-based Zn-air battery, suggesting the great potential of this electrocatalyst for Zn-air batteries.