Perovskite nanoparticles@N-doped carbon nanofibers as robust and efficient oxygen electrocatalysts for Zn-air batteries

Abstract We applied a novel solid-liquid co-electrospinning approach to synthesize hybrid LaCoO3 perovskite nanoparticles@nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (LCNP@NCNF) as an effective and robust electrocatalyst for Zn-air batteries. LCNP@NCNF featured an integrated structure with well-crystallized perovskite nanoparticles uniformly distributed in micro/mesoporous NCNF. In addition, LCNP@NCNF exhibited a high specific surface area of ∼183.3 m2 g−1 and a large pore volume of ∼0.164 m3 g−1. The rotating-electrode measurement revealed the better intrinsic activity and more favorable stability of LCNP@NCNF in comparison with their counterparts. Moreover, Zn-air batteries employing LCNP@NCNF showed a relatively smaller discharge-charge voltage gap of ∼0.95 V and longer cycling stability than the battery adopting the physically blended LCNP and NCNF. We ascribed the improved electrochemical activity to the enhanced synergistic interaction originating from the successful coupling of LCNP and NCNF.