Pt/Zn heterostructure as efficient air-electrocatalyst for long-life neutral Zn-air batteries

Abstract

Neutral Zn-air batteries (ZABs) have attracted much attention due to the enhanced lifespan and stability. However, their development is suppressed by the poor catalytic properties of the air-electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Hence, the exploration of highly efficient electrocatalysts for neutral ZABs is critical. Herein, we designed an economical heterostructure of Pt nanoparticle-modified Zn nanoplates (Pt/Zn NPs). Compared with commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst, our Pt/Zn heterostructure exhibits comparable catalytic properties and ultrahigh stability in neutral media. The heterostructure can reduce the dosage of Pt and offer sufficient active sites, resulting in enhanced catalytic properties for ORR/OER in neutral media. When applied to neutral ZABs as air cathode, our heterostructure exhibits a high power density of 45 mW cm−2 and excellent stability of more than 850 cycles with negligible decay, making it the most efficient and robust one in neutral electrolyte. This approach opens a new avenue to strategically design catalysts with high activity for neutral ZABs, rendering them potential in portable and wearable electronic devices.