Recent Advances on MOF Derivatives for Non-Noble Metal Oxygen Electrocatalysts in Zinc-Air Batteries

Abstract

Oxygen electrocatalysts are of great importance for the air electrode in zinc-air batteries (ZABs). Owing to the high specific surface area, controllable pore size and unsaturated metal active sites, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) derivatives have been widely studied as oxygen electrocatalysts in ZABs. To date, many strategies have been developed to generate efficient oxygen electrocatalysts from MOFs for improving the performance of ZABs. In this review, the latest progress of the MOF-derived non-noble metal–oxygen electrocatalysts in ZABs is reviewed. The performance of these MOF-derived catalysts toward oxygen reduction, and oxygen evolution reactions is discussed based on the categories of metal-free carbon materials, single-atom catalysts, metal cluster/carbon composites and metal compound/carbon composites. Moreover, we provide a comprehensive overview on the design strategies of various MOF-derived non-noble metal–oxygen electrocatalysts and their structure-performance relationship. Finally, the challenges and perspectives are provided for further advancing the MOF-derived oxygen electrocatalysts in ZABs.

Enzyme immobilization: what have we learned in the past five years?

“…80,81 Other important support materials are metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks and coordination polymers, which are crystalline porous materials with periodic structures composed of metal ions or clusters with organic ligands via covalent coordination interactions, H-bonding, π-π stacking and/or van der Waals forces. [82][83][84][85] Several materials can be used to synthesize metal-organic frameworks, namely Zn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe and Ag, as well as ligands, such as 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, benzene-1,3,5tricarboxylate moiety (H3btc), 4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylate (H2bpdc), adamantane tetracarboxylic acid (H4atc), and 1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (Bix), among others. 86 These materials can be synthesized by slow diffusion, sol/ hydrothermal, slow evaporation, conventional heating, mechanochemical, sonochemical, microfluidics, dry gel conversion and reverse-phase microemulsification methods.…”

“…86 These materials can be synthesized by slow diffusion, sol/ hydrothermal, slow evaporation, conventional heating, mechanochemical, sonochemical, microfluidics, dry gel conversion and reverse-phase microemulsification methods. [82][83][84]87 Metal-organic frameworks have large specific surface areas, high-porosity, special periodic structures, high thermal and chemical stability, tailored pores, flexible surfaces, antimicrobial activity, adsorption and absorption properties and post-synthetic modifiability. [88][89][90][91] Because of these characteristics, metal-organic frameworks find application not only in enzyme immobilization but also in chemical sensing, gas storage and separation, biomedical imaging, luminescence and energy storage.…”

Hollow Carbon Sphere and Polyhedral Carbon Composites Supported Iron Nanoparticles as Excellent Bifunctional Electrocatalysts of Zn–Air Battery

“…A series of inherent nanopores inside the structure provide a favorable channel for the transfer of electrons in the ORR process. [32] Also, MOFs are composed of inorganic subunits, such as layers, clusters, chains, or 3D arrangements, and are strongly bonded to organic binders with complex groups (phosphonates, carboxylates, N-containing compounds), resulting in a 3D hybrid framework. [33,34] These characteristics result in the excellent improvement in the onset potential, half-slope potential (E 1/2 ), and durability of ORR performance.…”

Structural Modification Engineering of Si Nanoparticles by MIL‐125 for High‐performance Lithium‐ion Storage

“…For instance, nanowires/membranes can only buffer the volume expansion of Si and provide channels for ions with fast transport in certain directions, but they grow slowly, are expensive to prepare, and are difficult to mass production [20] . For alloys and composites of Si, the large specific surface area is prone to the reunion of the active particles in the electrochemical reaction, which triggers adverse electrochemical contact of the reunited particles with the collecting fluid [21–23] . Nonetheless, the volume expansion effect of Si‐based materials still severely hinders its application in batteries.…”

“…[20] For alloys and composites of Si, the large specific surface area is prone to the reunion of the active particles in the electrochemical reaction, which triggers adverse electrochemical contact of the reunited particles with the collecting fluid. [21][22][23] Nonetheless, the volume expansion effect of Si-based materials still severely hinders its application in batteries. In general, the ideal Si-based anodes for lithium storage need to meet the following conditions: (1) biggish pore-holes and open-end passages facilitate the charge transfer of electrolytes; (2) high specific surface area ensures full reaction of active substances;…”