Electronic reconfiguration of Co₂P induced by Cu doping enhancing oxygen reduction reaction activity in zinc–air batteries

Abstract

Cu-Doped Co2P nanoparticles anchored on 2D heteroatom-doped ultrathin carbon exhibit excellent oxygen reduction reaction performance in flexible solid state zinc–air batteries.

Progress of carbon-based electrocatalysts for flexible zinc-air batteries in the past 5 years: recent strategies for design, synthesis and performance optimization

“…3 b, c), Fe and Cu, can be doped on active substrate materials, such as carbon materials (graphene, CNTs, etc.). It has also been confirmed that 2D heteroatoms exhibiting unique structures and physical and chemical properties, such as N, P, S [ 22 , 48 ] and B [ 49 – 54 ] (as shown in Fig. 3 d, e), can improve the electrochemical and electrocatalytic performances of the catalysts.…”

“…The most typical strategy to optimize the catalyst performance is to combine heteroatom-doped carbon nanomaterials with transition metal-based material (oxides, chalcogenides such as Ni-based sulfides, etc. [ 19 – 21 ], transition metal phosphides (TMP [ 22 ]) and nitride) composites. As ZABs electrocatalysts still have numerous shortcomings, it is vital to optimize their catalytic structure.…”

“…The different charge densities of (ii) Co 2 P (121) and (iii) Cu-doped Co 2 P (121). The blue and red regions separately indicate the depletion and accumulation of electrons [ 22 ]. b Illustration of the synthesis procedure of the Od-Mn 3 O 4 @CNA/CC nanostructure, and its formation mechanisms at atomic scale.…”

“…Multi-atom doping includes both heteroatom co-doping (N-S, N-P, N-B, etc. ), and heteroatom and metal co-doping [ 55 ] (Fe-Co–N [ 56 ], Mn-N [ 57 ], Fe–N [ 58 ], Co-Fe–N-P [ 12 ], Co-Fe–N [ 39 ], Co-Mn-N-P [ 59 ], Co–Cu-N [ 60 , 61 ], Co–Cu-P, etc.). On the one hand, heteroatom doping can effectively generate synergistic defect effects in the catalyst, leading to a higher catalytic activity [ 62 , 63 ].…”

“…Multi-metals can improve the conductivity and oxidation state of the catalyst, thereby increasing the amount of charge transfer of the catalyst [ 66 ] and the electrocatalytic performance of the catalyst [ 60 ]. For example, Diao et al established through DFT that Cu-doping can lead to more positive sites adjacent to Co and weaken the binding force between the surface active sites and the adsorbed intermediates, thereby increasing the mass and charge transfer rates and the exposure of active sites [ 61 ]. As shown in Fig.…”