Rational design of one-dimensional cobalt-related oxygen electrocatalysts toward high-performance zinc-air batteries

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have been widely investigated in fields such as energy, materials, and devices due to their green and efficient characteristics. Nonetheless, the electrochemical performance of ZABs is limited by the ability of the cathode to catalyze oxygen reactions. Pt-based and Ir or Ru-based precious metals have been successfully used as catalysts in the market. Due to the scarce resources and high costs of these precious metals, non-precious metal catalysts have been able to conduct research. Among them, cobalt-related transition metal catalysts are considered one of the most promising candidates due to their low cost and high activity. However, poor conductivity and cyclic stability limit its commercial application. Nano design is extremely important in improving catalytic performance, especially one-dimensional (1D) morphology control has been confirmed to be an effective modification method for improving electrochemical performance. In this review, the principles for designing 1D cobalt-related oxygen electrocatalysts toward high-performance ZABs, such as Co-immobilized carbon composites, cobalt oxides, cobalt sulfides, and cobalt phosphides are reviewed. Next, the strategies aiming at improving the electrocatalytic activity and stability are summarized. At last, the challenges and perspectives of cobalt-related oxygen electrocatalysts for ZABs are discussed. This review can offer insights into the targeted optimization of 1D cobalt-related oxygen electrocatalysts, which can be expected to shed light on the future development of high-performance ZABs.