Metal-organic framework-derived carbon nanotubes with multi-active Fe-N/Fe sites as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for zinc-air battery

doi:10.1016/j.jechem.2021.08.019

Abstract

Abstract: Sustainable metal-air batteries demand high-efficiency, environmentally-friendly, and non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts with bifunctionality for both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this research, novel functional carbon nanotubes with multi-active sites including well-dispersed single-atom iron throughout the walls and encapsulated ultrafine iron nanoparticles were synthesized as an electrocatalyst (Fe_NP@Fe-N-C) through one-step pyrolysis of metal-organic frameworks. High-resolution synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy were applied to characterize the unique structure of the electrocatalyst. In comparison to the commercial Pt/C and RuO₂ electrodes, the newly prepared Fe_NP@Fe-N-C presented a superb bifunctional performance with its narrow potential difference (E_gap) of 0.73 V, which is ascribed to the metallic Fe nanoparticles that boosts the adsorption and activation of oxygen on the active sites with an enhanced O₂ adsorption capacity of 7.88 cm³ g^-1 and synergistically functionalizes the iron atoms dispersed on the nanotubes. A rechargeable zinc-air battery based on Fe_NP@Fe-N-C exhibited a superior open-circuit voltage (1.45 V), power density (106.5 mW cm^-2), and stable cycling performance. The green technique developed in this work for the fabrication of functional nanotubes raises the prospect of making more efficient electrocatalysts for sustainable energy cells.

Key words: Bifunctional electrocatalyst, Oxygen reduction reaction, Oxygen evolution reaction, Single-atom iron, Encapsulated iron nanoparticles

Chao Yang, Shanshan Shang, Qinfen Gu, Jin Shang, Xiao-yan Li. Metal-organic framework-derived carbon nanotubes with multi-active Fe-N/Fe sites as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for zinc-air battery[J]. Journal of Energy Chemistry, 2022, 66(3): 306-313.

×
share this article

Add to citation manager EndNote|Ris|BibTeX

URL: https://www.jenergychem.com/EN/10.1016/j.jechem.2021.08.019

https://www.jenergychem.com/EN/Y2022/V66/I3/306

Figures/Tables 11

References

[1] Y. Li, H. Dai, Chem. Soc. Rev. 43(2014) 5257-5275.
[2] D. Jiao, Z. Ma, J. Li, Y. Han, J. Mao, T. Ling, S. Qiao, J. Energy Chem. 44(2020) 1-7.
[3] Y. Li, M. Gong, Y. Liang, J. Feng, J.E. Kim, H. Wang, G. Hong, B. Zhang, H. Dai, Nat. Commun. 4(2013) 1-7.
[4] Y. Chen, H. Wang, F. Liu, H. Gai, S. Ji, V. Linkov, R. Wang, Chem. Eng. J. 353(2018) 472-480.
[5] X. Liu, X. Cui, K. Dastafkan, H. Wang, C. Tang, C. Zhao, A. Chen, C. He, M. Han, Q. Zhang, J. Energy Chem. 53(2021) 290-302.
[6] H. Wang, C. Tang, Q. Zhang, Catal. Today 301 (2018) 25-31.
[7] S. Ren, X. Duan, S. Liang, M. Zhang, H. Zheng, J. Mater. Chem. A 8 (2020) 6144-6182.
[8] M. Mao, X. Wu, Y. Hu, Q. Yuan, Y. He, F. Kang, J. Energy Chem. 52(2021) 277-283.
[9] B. Zhang, X. Zheng, O. Voznyy, R. Comin, M. Bajdich, M. García-Melchor, L. Han, J. Xu, M. Liu, L. Zheng, Science 352 (2016) 333-337.
[10] L.Y. Zhang, M.R. Wang, Y.Q. Lai, X.Y. Li, J. Power Sources 359 (2017) 71-79.
[11] J. Qin, Z. Liu, D. Wu, J. Yang, Appl. Catal. B-Environ. 278(2020) 119300.
[12] W. Wang, Q. Jia, S. Mukerjee, S. Chen, ACS Catal. 9(2019) 10126-10141.
[13] Y. Jiao, Y. Zheng, M. Jaroniec, S.Z. Qiao, Chem. Soc. Rev. 44(2015) 2060-2086.
[14] C. Tang, Q. Zhang, Adv. Mater. 29(2017) 1604103.
[15] Z. Wang, H. Jin, T. Meng, K. Liao, W. Meng, J. Yang, D. He, Y. Xiong, S. Mu, Fe, Cu-Adv. Funct. Mater. 28(2018) 1802596.
[16] H. Zhang, S. Hwang, M. Wang, Z. Feng, S. Karakalos, L. Luo, Z. Qiao, X. Xie, C. Wang, D. Su, Y. Shao, G. Wu, J. Am. Chem.Soc. 139(2017) 14143-14149.
[17] N. Shang, C. Wang, X. Zhang, S. Gao, S. Zhang, T. Meng, J. Wang, H. Wang, C. Du, T. Shen, J. Huang, Chem. Eng. J. (2020) 127345.
[18] Z. Li, L. Wei, W. Jiang, Z. Hu, H. Luo, W. Zhao, T. Xu, W. Wu, M. Wu, J. Hu, Appl. Catal. B-Environ. 251(2019) 240-246.
[19] B. Bayatsarmadi, Y. Zheng, A. Vasileff, S.Z. Qiao, Small 13 (2017) 1700191.
[20] Z. Liang, C. Qu, D. Xia, R. Zou, Q. Xu, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 57(2018) 9604-9633.
[21] W.J. Jiang, L. Gu, L. Li, Y. Zhang, X. Zhang, L.J. Zhang, J.Q. Wang, J.S. Hu, Z. Wei, L. J. Wan, J. Am. Chem.Soc. 138(2016) 3570-3578.
[22] J. Han, X. Meng, L. Lu, J. Bian, Z. Li, C. Sun, Adv. Funct. Mater. 29(2019) 1808872.
[23] D. Deng, L. Yu, X. Chen, G. Wang, L. Jin, X. Pan, J. Deng, G. Sun, X. Bao, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 52(2013) 371-375.
[24] X. Wang, Y. Li, T. Jin, J. Meng, L. Jiao, M. Zhu, J. Chen, Nano Lett. 17(2017) 7989-7994.
[25] H.L. Jiang, B. Liu, Y.Q. Lan, K. Kuratani, T. Akita, H. Shioyama, F. Zong, Q. Xu, J. Am. Chem.Soc. 133(2011) 11854-11857.
[26] G. Zheng, Y. Yang, J.J. Cha, S.S. Hong, Y. Cui, Nano Lett. 11(2011) 4462-4467.
[27] T.Y. Ma, S. Dai, M. Jaroniec, S.Z. Qiao, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 53(2014) 7281-7285.
[28] Q. Lu, J. Yu, X. Zou, K. Liao, P. Tan, W. Zhou, M. Ni, Z. Shao, Adv. Funct. Mater. 29(2019) 1904481.
[29] X. Li, Y. Fang, S. Zhao, J. Wu, F. Li, M. Tian, X. Long, J. Jin, J. Ma, J. Mater. Chem. A 4 (2016) 13133-13141.
[30] H.F. Wang, L. Chen, H. Pang, S. Kaskel, Q. Xu, Chem. Soc. Rev. 49(2020) 1414-1448.
[31] Y. Liang, Y. Li, H. Wang, J. Zhou, J. Wang, T. Regier, H. Dai, Nat. Mater. 10(2011) 780-786.
[32] C. Tang, Y. Jiao, B. Shi, J. Liu, Z. Xie, X. Chen, Q. Zhang, S. Qiao, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 59(2020) 9171-9176.
[33] X. Xu, X. Zhang, Z. Xia, R. Sun, H. Li, J. Wang, S. Yu, S. Wang, G. Sun, J. Energy Chem. 54(2021) 579-586.
[34] J.A.Rodriguez-Manzo, M.Terrones, H. Terrones, H.W. Kroto, L. Sun, F. Banhart, Nat. Nanotechnol. 2(2007) 307-311.
[35] C. Emmenegger, J.-M. Bonard, P. Mauron, P. Sudan, A. Lepora, B. Grobety, A. Züttel, L. Schlapbach, Carbon 41 (2003) 539-547.
[36] Z.-H. Sheng, L. Shao, J.-J. Chen, W.-J. Bao, F.-B. Wang, X.-H. Xia, ACS Nano 5 (2011) 4350-4358.
[37] I.S. Amiinu, X. Liu, Z. Pu, W. Li, Q. Li, J. Zhang, H. Tang, H. Zhang, S. Mu, Adv. Funct. Mater. 28(2018) 1704638.
[38] Y. Deng, Y. Dong, G. Wang, K. Sun, X. Shi, L. Zheng, X. Li, S. Liao, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 9 (2017) 9699-9709.
[39] X. Chen, L. Yu, S. Wang, D. Deng, X. Bao, Nano Energy 32 (2017) 353-358.
[40] D. Nguyen, G. Kang, M.C. Hersam, G.C. Schatz, R.P.Van Duyne, J.Phys. Chem. Lett. 10(2019) 3966-3971.
[41] Y.J. Sa, D.J. Seo, J. Woo, J.T. Lim, J.Y. Cheon, S.Y. Yang, J.M. Lee, D. Kang, T.J. Shin, H.S. Shin, H.Y. Jeong, C.S. Kim, M.G. Kim, T.Y. Kim, S.H. Joo, J. Am. Chem.Soc. 138(2016) 15046-15056.
[42] L. Jiao, G. Wan, R. Zhang, H. Zhou, S.H. Yu, H.L. Jiang, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 57(2018) 8525-8529.
[43] A. Zitolo, V. Goellner, V. Armel, M.T. Sougrati, T. Mineva, L. Stievano, E. Fonda, F. Jaouen, Nat. Mater. 14(2015) 937-942.
[44] Y. Chen, S. Ji, S. Zhao, W. Chen, J. Dong, W.C. Cheong, R. Shen, X. Wen, L. Zheng, A.I. Rykov, S. Cai, H. Tang, Z. Zhuang, C. Chen, Q. Peng, D. Wang, Y. Li, Nat. Commun. 9(2018) 5422.
[45] H. Yin, C. Zhang, F. Liu, Y. Hou, Adv. Funct. Mater. 24(2014) 2930-2937.
[46] M. Xiao, J. Zhu, L. Ma, Z. Jin, J. Ge, X. Deng, Y. Hou, Q. He, J. Li, Q. Jia, S. Mukerjee, R. Yang, Z. Jiang, D. Su, C. Liu, W. Xing, ACS Catal. 8(2018) 2824-2832.

Pump type	Advantages	Disadvantages
Syringe pump	compact structure, stable during experiment, no check valve in pump head, convenient maintenance	limited delivery time due to pump cavity, inevitable system equilibrating procedure before every analysis
Continuous flow pump	no limit to delivery time, fast equilibration between continuous experiments	complex structure and control algorithm, higher failure rate caused by multiple check valves

Pump type	Advantages	Disadvantages
Syringe pump	compact structure, stable during experiment, no check valve in pump head, convenient maintenance	limited delivery time due to pump cavity, inevitable system equilibrating procedure before every analysis
Continuous flow pump	no limit to delivery time, fast equilibration between continuous experiments	complex structure and control algorithm, higher failure rate caused by multiple check valves

Type	Driving principle	Flow rate range/ (nL/min)	Maximum pressure/ MPa	Continuous delivery or not	References
Pneumatic amplifying pump	pneumatic with multiple amplification	12-1.7×10⁶	900	no	[18,19]
Active flow splitting systems	split ratio is inversely proportional to resistance ratio	50-2.5×10⁶	40	yes	[22-24]
Continuous flow pump	high precision motors driving double pistons in	20-1×10⁵	100	yes	[25,26]
	series/parallel
Syringe pump	high precision motor driving single piston	20-2×10³	120	no	[27-29]
Electroosmotic pump	electroosmotic phenomenon	0-5×10⁴	40	no	[34,35]
Magnetostriction pump	magnetostrictive effect	-	130 kN	no	[36]
Thermal expansion pump	thermal expansion of liquid	10-5×10⁴	10	no	[37,38]
Phase transition pump	volume change during phase transition of liquid or solid	minimum 100	80	no	[39]

Type	Driving principle	Flow rate range/ (nL/min)	Maximum pressure/ MPa	Continuous delivery or not	References
Pneumatic amplifying pump	pneumatic with multiple amplification	12-1.7×10⁶	900	no	[18,19]
Active flow splitting systems	split ratio is inversely proportional to resistance ratio	50-2.5×10⁶	40	yes	[22-24]
Continuous flow pump	high precision motors driving double pistons in	20-1×10⁵	100	yes	[25,26]
	series/parallel
Syringe pump	high precision motor driving single piston	20-2×10³	120	no	[27-29]
Electroosmotic pump	electroosmotic phenomenon	0-5×10⁴	40	no	[34,35]
Magnetostriction pump	magnetostrictive effect	-	130 kN	no	[36]
Thermal expansion pump	thermal expansion of liquid	10-5×10⁴	10	no	[37,38]
Phase transition pump	volume change during phase transition of liquid or solid	minimum 100	80	no	[39]

Injection mode	Advantages	Disadvantages	References
Built-in sample loop	simple, robust, no sample loss	limited injection volume and peak capacity, no protection of the separation column	[47,48,58,59]
Variable-volume injection valve	robust, no sample loss, variable injection volume	higher machining precision, no protection of the separation column	[49]
Timed injection	variable injection volume, simple	precision affected by time and flow rate, no protection of the separation column	[50]
Trapped on a vented column	sample wash, greater injection volume, small dead volumes, protection of the separation column	interruption of the flow, pressure and spray, limited robustness, possible sample loss on the trap column	[53,60]
Trapped by column switching	sample wash, greater injection volume, robust, protection of the separation column	possible sample loss on the trap column, more modules	[54,61,62]
TASF	greater injection volume, small dead volumes, lower dispersion	repeatability affected by temperature control, baseline disturbance	[56,57,63]