Tri-functional electrocatalysis with mass transfer-optimized 3D NiCo alloy for continuous energy conversion system

Mass transfer limitations directly govern the utilization efficiency of active sites in gas-involving reactions, thereby hindering intrinsically active sites from functioning effectively at high current densities. Consequently, designing porous structures to improve the transport efficiency of both reactants and products constitutes a central challenge for realizing efficient and stable electrocatalytic processes. To address this challenge, a nickel‑cobalt (NiCo) alloy was fabricated via digital light processing (DLP) technology, and cobalt-nanocarbon (Co NC) active material was incorporated in situ to establish a robust catalytic system. Furthermore, the deliberate structural design promoted bubble mass-transfer kinetics, thereby further improving its performance across multiple catalytic reactions. The electrolysis water device composed of it can operate stably for over 500 h at a current density of 500 mA cm^-2 and a voltage of 1.78 V. The assembled zinc-air battery shows a peak power density of 73.5 mW cm^-2 and outstanding cyclic durability, lasting for over 300 h. More importantly, the assembled integrated device generates an equivalent amount of hydrogen during both day and night. This innovative strategy offers a reliable reference for the practical implementation of three-dimensional electrodes in highly efficient mass transfer reactions.