Single Fe Atom on Hierarchically Porous S, N‐Codoped Nanocarbon Derived from Porphyra Enable Boosted Oxygen Catalysis for Rechargeable Zn‐Air Batteries

Abstract

Iron-nitrogen-carbon materials (Fe-N-C) are known for their excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance. Unfortunately, they generally show a laggard oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity, which results in a lethargic charging performance in rechargeable Zn-air batteries. Here porous S-doped Fe-N-C nanosheets are innovatively synthesized utilizing a scalable FeCl₃ -encapsulated-porphyra precursor pyrolysis strategy. The obtained electrocatalyst exhibits ultrahigh ORR activity (E_1/2 = 0.84 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode) and impressive OER performance (E_j _{= 10} = 1.64 V). The potential gap (ΔE = E_j _{= 10} - E_1/2 ) is 0.80 V, outperforming that of most highly active bifunctional electrocatalysts reported to date. Furthermore, the key role of S involved in the atomically dispersed Fe-Nx species on the enhanced ORR and OER activities is expounded for the first time by ultrasound-assisted extraction of the exclusive S source (taurine) from porphyra. Moreover, the assembled rechargeable Zn-air battery comprising this bifunctional electrocatalyst exhibits higher power density (225.1 mW cm^-2 ) and lower charging-discharging overpotential (1.00 V, 100 mA cm^-2 compared to Pt/C + RuO₂ catalyst). The design strategy can expand the utilization of earth-abundant biomaterial-derived catalysts, and the mechanism investigations of S doping on the structure-activity relationship can inspire the progress of other functional electrocatalysts.