Tailoring Oxygen Reduction Reaction Kinetics of Fe−N−C Catalyst via Spin Manipulation for Efficient Zinc–Air Batteries

Abstract The interaction between oxygen species and metal sites of various orbitals exhibits intimate correlation with the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics. Herein, a new approach for boosting the inherent ORR activity of atomically dispersed Fe−N−C matrix is represented by implanting Fe atomic clusters nearby. The as‐prepared catalyst delivers excellent ORR activity with half‐wave potentials of 0.78 and 0.90 V in acidic and alkaline solutions, respectively. The decent ORR activity can also be validated from the high‐performance rechargeable Zn–air battery. The experiments and density functional theory calculations reveal that the electron spin‐state of monodispersed Fe active sites is transferred from…

• SS
  Salt Science Research Foundation

  Award: BL14W1
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 52272202, 22325101, 51972129
• CG
  Chang Gung University

  Award: URRPD2N0031
• CG
  Chang Gung Medical Foundation
• SU
  Southern University of Science and Technology
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Awards: 51972129, 2022YFB3807201
• BS
  Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility

  Award: BL14W1