Issue 14, 2018

Metallic CuCo2S4 nanosheets of atomic thickness as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for portable, flexible Zn-air batteries

Abstract

Optimized catalysts show great potential for renewable energy storage and conversion. Herein, we report metallic CuCo2S4 nanosheets (NSs) of atomic thickness as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for use in portable, flexible Zn-air batteries. The metallic CuCo2S4 NSs of atomic thickness with 4-atom-thick to 6-atom-thick layers are confirmed by temperature-dependent electrical resistance measurements and atomic force microscopy. Furthermore, extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy confirms that CuCo2S4 NSs with sulfur vacancies can further increase the OER activity. Due to high electrical conductivity and ultrathin nanosheet structure with abundant defects, CuCo2S4 NSs exhibit excellent reversible oxygen catalytic performance with an overpotential of 287 mV (at j = 10 mA cm−2) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and an onset potential of 0.90 V for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Additionally, the portable, flexible Zn-air battery using CuCo2S4 NSs as the air-cathode displays a high open circuit voltage and strong rechargeable capacity for 18 h. The present study highlights the importance of designing metallic catalysts having atomic thickness with surface defects for highly efficient and stable renewable energy storage and conversion.

Graphical abstract: Metallic CuCo2S4 nanosheets of atomic thickness as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for portable, flexible Zn-air batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Feb 2018
Accepted
10 Mar 2018
First published
12 Mar 2018

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 6581-6588

Metallic CuCo2S4 nanosheets of atomic thickness as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for portable, flexible Zn-air batteries

Y. Li, J. Yin, L. An, M. Lu, K. Sun, Y. Zhao, F. Cheng and P. Xi, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 6581 DOI: 10.1039/C8NR01381K

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements