Fe/Ce Dual-Atom Engineering to Break the Activity-Stability Trade-Off for Ultra-Stable Zinc-Air Batteries

To address the stability limitations of conventional Fe─N─C catalysts caused by H₂O₂ byproducts and reactive oxygen species (ROS), an innovative dual-metal single-atom synergistic strategy is developed, resulting in the fabrication of a hierarchically porous hollow carbon fiber catalyst co-anchored with Fe and Ce dual-atom sites (FeCe DAC/HCNF). The catalyst features an interconnected network of hollow channels and carbon nanocages, forming a hierarchical micro/mesoporous structure (specific surface area: 935.24 m² g^-1) that enhances mass transport efficiency and maximizes exposure of active sites. The dual-atom site is developed to achieve a "kill two birds with one stone" effect: Ce single-atom sites adjacent to Fe centers not only effectively scavenge ROS and decompose H₂O₂, but also modulate the Fe centers, thereby synergistically enhancing the intrinsic ORR activity while mitigating carbon matrix degradation. The FeCe DAC/HCNF catalyst exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance and stability in both alkaline and acidic media. When integrated into zinc-air batteries, it achieves superior device performance compared to Fe─N─C catalysts, with a remarkable cycling durability of 2300 cycles (∼1100 h of stable operation). This work breaks the traditional activity-stability trade-off of catalysts, providing a novel pathway for developing high-durability zinc-air batteries.