Ultrafine NiCo alloy nanoparticles supported on biomass chitin-derived 3D porous carbon substrates as bifunctional catalysts for the ORR and OER

Abstract

Non-precious metal catalysts have been extensively developed for metal–air batteries and fuel cells with the aim of reducing economic costs in practical applications. This paper reports a strategy involving the loading of biomass-derived nitrogen-doped porous carbon materials with NiCo alloy nanoparticles to fabricate high-performance bifunctional catalysts towards oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. The resulting catalyst demonstrates considerable catalytic activity with exceptional long-term cycling stability and methanol resistance. This material offers a reference strategy for the economical and environmentally sustainable large-scale manufacturing of renewable bifunctional catalysts.