Affiliation:
1. State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 China
2. State Key Lab of Organic‐Inorganic Composites and Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 China
Abstract
AbstractIncorporating atom‐nanocluster interactions into Fe─N─C single‐atom catalysts (Fe‐SACs) represents a viable strategy for enhancing their oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, however, further investigation is necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Herein, Cu nanoclusters are incorporated into Fe‐SACs to realize markedly enhanced pH‐universal ORR performance and investigate the underlying mechanism. The rate‐determining step (RDS) investigation reveals that the existence of Cu nanoclusters does not alter the RDS of Fe─N─C despite their differences in acidic, neutral, or alkaline media but instead optimizes the electronic configuration of Fe─N─C and significantly promotes the RDS. The synergistic effect between the Fe single atoms and Cu nanoclusters significantly enhances the half‐wave potential by 45, 90, and 18 mV in the HClO4, PBS, and KOH electrolytes, respectively. The catalysts further demonstrate remarkable maximum power densities of 971.4, 94.9, and 234.7 mW cm−2 in H2/O2 fuel cells, neutral Zn‐air batteries, and alkaline Zn‐air batteries, respectively.
Funder
National Key Research and Development Program of China
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Subject
General Materials Science,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment