Li, Yong;
Zhu, Aoyang;
Peng, Guodong;
He, Jun;
Li, Hongqiang;
Jia, Dedong;
He, Guanjie;
... He, Xiaojun; + view all
(2025)
Nano-carbon supported B/N-coordinated Fe single atoms with a tuned electronic structure for long lifespan zinc–iodine batteries.
Energy and Environmental Sciences
10.1039/d5ee00809c.
(In press).
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Abstract
Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have great potential to boost the sluggish iodine redox kinetics and alleviate the polyiodide shuttle in aqueous zinc–iodine (Zn–I2) batteries. Nevertheless, it is a big challenge to improve the catalytic activity of traditional metal nitrogen (M–N4) SACs by adjusting the microenvironment to enhance iodine redox kinetics. Herein, asymmetric B/N-coordinated Fe single atoms (Fe–B2N2) immobilized on carbon nanotube forests (denoted as Fe-SAs@BNCF) are prepared by a one-pot calcination method and used as the iodine host in Zn–I2 batteries. Theoretical calculation results have revealed that the B sites function to increase the electron density by disrupting the symmetrical electron distribution around the Fe sites compared to traditional Fe–N4. Correspondingly, the as-synthesized Fe–B2N2 SACs significantly improve polyiodide adsorption and electrocatalytic activities in Zn–I2 batteries. Moreover, carbon nanotube forests provide more adsorption sites for polyiodides. Consequently, the Zn–I2 batteries with Fe-SAs@BNCF as a host enable a superb long lifespan (78% retention over 60 000 cycles at 5 A g−1) and a high rate capability (147 mA h g−1 at 10 A g−1). This work provides a promising strategy for designing advanced I2 cathodes with asymmetric single atoms for long-life Zn–I2 batteries.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Nano-carbon supported B/N-coordinated Fe single atoms with a tuned electronic structure for long lifespan zinc–iodine batteries |
| DOI: | 10.1039/d5ee00809c |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1039/d5ee00809c |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Chemistry |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10210601 |
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