Ultrathin Co₃O₄ Layers with Large Contact Area on Carbon Fibers as High‐Performance Electrode for Flexible Zinc–Air Battery Integrated with Flexible Display

Abstract

A facile and binder‐free method is developed for the in situ and horizontal growth of ultrathin mesoporous Co 3 O 4 layers on the surface of carbon fibers in the carbon cloth (ultrathin Co 3 O 4 /CC) as high‐performance air electrode for the flexible Zn–air battery. In particular, the ultrathin Co 3 O 4 layers have a maximum contact area on the conductive support, facilitating the rapid electron transport and preventing the aggregation of ultrathin layers. The ultrathin feature of Co 3 O 4 layers is characterized by the transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectra, and X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Benefiting from the high utilization degree of active materials and rapid charge transport, the mass activity for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions of the ultrathin Co 3 O 4 /CC electrode is more than 10 times higher than that of the carbon cloth loaded with commercial Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles. Compared to the commercial Co 3 O 4 /CC electrode, the flexible Zn–air battery using ultrathin Co 3 O 4 /CC electrode exhibits excellent rechargeable performance and high mechanical stability. Furthermore, the flexible Zn–air battery is integrated with a flexible display unit. The whole integrated device can operate without obvious performance degradation under serious deformation and even during the cutting process, which makes it highly promising for wearable and roll‐up optoelectronics.