Cobalt-based deep eutectic solvent modified nitrogen-doped carbon catalyst for boosting oxygen reduction reaction in zinc-air batteries

As an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst, nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) is widely used in zinc-air batteries (ZABs). However, NC catalysts exhibit low conductivity and insufficient exposure of active sites. Therefore, a Co-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) was selected to modify NC catalyst (Co-NC) to improve ORR performances. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation shows that the modification of Co-based DES can change the electronic structure of NC and increase metallic active sites, which is beneficial to the desorption of reaction intermediates on Co-NC, further improving ORR performance. Co-NC shows excellent ORR performances and stability. Impressively, ZABs assembled with Co-NC manifest a high maximum power density of 177.4 mW cm−2, a high specific capacity of 726.12 mA h g−1 and a charge-discharge cycle life of 500 h. This study can provide practical reference for surface modified carbon-based electrocatalyst with DES to improve ORR performances.