Surface‐Modified Porous Carbon Nitride Composites as Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for Zn‐Air Batteries

Abstract

Abstract Porous carbon nitride (PCN) composites are fabricated using a top‐down strategy, followed by additions of graphene and CoS x nanoparticles. This subsequently enhances conductivity and catalytic activity of PCN (abbreviated as CoS x @PCN/rGO) and is achieved by one‐step sulfuration of PCN/graphene oxides (GO) composite materials. As a result, the as‐prepared CoS x @PCN/rGO catalysts display excellent activity and stability toward both oxygen evolution and reduction reactions, surpassing electrocatalytic performance shown by state‐of‐the‐art Pt, RuO 2 and other carbon nitrides. Remarkably, the CoS x @PCN/rGO bifunctional activity allows for applications in zinc‐air batteries, which show better rechargeability than Pt/C. The enhanced catalytic performance of CoS x @PCN/rGO can primarily be attributed to the highly porous morphology and sufficiently exposed active sites that are favorable for electrocatalytic reactions.