A Controllable Dual Interface Engineering Concept for Rational Design of Efficient Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing efficient, cost-effective bifunctional electrocatalysts is critical for the commercial viability of zinc-air batteries (ZABs).
• Noble metal-based catalysts are effective but expensive, driving the search for noble-metal-free alternatives.
• Existing noble-metal-free catalysts often struggle with balancing activity and long-term stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a novel noble-metal-free bifunctional electrocatalyst for ZABs.
• To investigate the role of dual interface engineering in enhancing catalytic performance.
• To demonstrate the potential of the developed catalyst in practical ZAB applications.

Main Methods:

• Controllable dual interface engineering strategy.
• Synthesis via a simple etching and wet chemical route.
• Characterization of catalyst interfaces (Ni3FeN|MnO and MnO|CNTs) and electrochemical performance evaluation.

Main Results:

• The Ni3FeN/MnO-CNTs catalyst exhibited superior oxygen reduction and evolution reaction activity with a low polarization gap (0.73 V).
• The dual interfaces facilitated efficient charge, electron, and gas/electrolyte transfer.
• The catalyst demonstrated excellent durability and rapid reaction kinetics, outperforming commercial Pt/C and RuO2 benchmarks.

Conclusions:

• The proposed dual interface engineering concept is effective for developing high-performance, noble-metal-free bifunctional electrocatalysts.
• Ni3FeN/MnO-CNTs show significant promise for practical applications in ZABs, offering high power density and stability.
• This approach provides a pathway for designing advanced electrocatalysts by precisely controlling interfacial properties.