Vanadium Nitride Supported on N-Doped Carbon as High-Performance ORR Catalysts for Zn–Air Batteries

Yidan Fu; Lina Han; Pengfei Zheng; Xianhui Peng; Xianglan Xian; Jinglin Liu; Xiaoyuan Zeng; Peng Dong; Jie Xiao; Yingjie Zhang

doi:10.3390/catal12080877

Catalysts (Aug 2022)

Vanadium Nitride Supported on N-Doped Carbon as High-Performance ORR Catalysts for Zn–Air Batteries

Yidan Fu,
Lina Han,
Pengfei Zheng,
Xianhui Peng,
Xianglan Xian,
Jinglin Liu,
Xiaoyuan Zeng,
Peng Dong,
Jie Xiao,
Yingjie Zhang

Affiliations

Yidan Fu: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Lina Han: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Pengfei Zheng: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Xianhui Peng: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Xianglan Xian: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Jinglin Liu: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Xiaoyuan Zeng: National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Materials Preparation Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Peng Dong: National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Materials Preparation Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Jie Xiao: National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Lithium-Ion Batteries and Materials Preparation Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China
Yingjie Zhang: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650000, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12080877
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 8
p. 877

Abstract

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It is desirable to prepare low-cost non-noble metal catalysts using a simple and efficient method. Herein, we display for the first time that nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon-supported vanadium nitride (VN/NC/C-x) catalysts can be regulated by dicyandiamide (DCDA). The introduction of DCDA not only effectively controls the pore structure, but also plays an important role in adjusting oxygen vacancies and d-electrons. In addition, DCDA is not only a significant raw material for the N-doped carbon, but also a nitrogen source for the preparation of vanadium nitride. The VN/NC/C-3 catalyst was prepared after optimization of the preparation parameters, and the macro/micro structure demonstrates a superior ORR performance in alkaline media with a positive onset potential of 0.85 V and a half-wave potential of 0.75 V, the limiting current density is as high as 4.52 mA·cm−2, and the Tafel slope is only 75.54 mV·dec−1. The VN/NC/C-3-based Zn–air battery exhibits a highest peak power density (161.82 mW∙cm−2) and an excellent energy density (702.28 mAh·kgZn−1 and 861.51 Wh·kgZn−1). This work provides a valuable synthetic approach for the preparation of other transition metal nitride catalysts with a relative economic value and high performance.

Published in Catalysts

ISSN: 2073-4344 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Chemical technology; Science: Chemistry
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/catalysts

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