Carbon foam-supported CoN nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes hybrids as bifunctional reduction electrocatalyst

CoN nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes hybrid supported on carbon foam (INPs-CoN/CNTs-CF) electrocatalyst was synthesized by one-step pyrolysis of irregular nanoparticles ZIF-67 (ZIF-67-INPs) with melamine foam. The INPs-CoN/CNTs-CF electrocatalyst exhibited remarkable activity for ORR with a high half-wave potential of 0.862 V vs. RHE, and a good HER electrocatalytic activity with overpotential of 180 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 102.5 mV dec−1. This electrocatalyst can be a promising bifunctional alternative for both ORR and HER. This work provides a new insight for the design of new-type multi-functional electrocatalysts for practical applications.