Rechargeable Zn–Air Batteries with Outstanding Cycling Stability Enabled by Ultrafine FeNi Nanoparticles-Encapsulated N-Doped Carbon Nanosheets as a Bifunctional Electrocatalyst

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Abstract
Despite grand advances in Zn–air batteries in recently years, their commercialization remains challenging due largely to the lack of efficient bifunctional oxygen catalysts. Herein, we report the crafting of a bifunctional electrocatalyst comprising ultrafine alloyed FeNi nanoparticles encapsulated within N-doped layered carbon nanosheets (denoted FeNi/N–LCN) for high-efficiency Zn–air batteries. The FeNi/N–LCN electrocatalyst is yielded via the coordination of triphenylimidazole-containing polyaniline (TPANI) oligomer with Fe- and Ni-containing precursors, followed by hydrogen binding with melamine and subsequent pyrolysis. The as-constructed FeNi/N–LCN manifests outstanding activity and stability toward both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The primary Zn–air battery assembled with FeNi/N–LCN delivers both high specific capacity and peak power density. Remarkably, the rechargeable Zn–air battery can be repeatedly charged and discharged for 1100 h at 5 mA cm–2 and for 600 h at 10 mA cm–2, representing the highest cycling stability among various reported Zn–air batteries.
Funding Information
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (51674219)
  • Construct Program of the Key Discipline in Hunan Province

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