Integrating NiCo Alloys with Their Oxides as Efficient Bifunctional Cathode Catalysts for Rechargeable Zinc–Air Batteries

The lack of high-efficient, low-cost, and durable bifunctional electrocatalysts that act simultaneously for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is currently one of the major obstacles to commercializing the electrical rechargeability of zinc-air batteries. A nanocomposite CoO-NiO-NiCo bifunctional electrocatalyst supported by nitrogen-doped multiwall carbon nanotubes (NCNT/CoO-NiO-NiCo) exhibits excellent activity and stability for the ORR/OER in alkaline media. More importantly, real air cathodes made from the bifunctional NCNT/CoO-NiO-NiCo catalysts further demonstrated superior performance to state-of-the-art Pt/C or Pt/C+IrO2 catalysts in primary and rechargeable zinc-air batteries.