Enhanced bifunctional oxygen electrochemical catalytic performance using La-doped CoFe2O4 spinel supported by 3D-G for Zn-air batteries

The preparation of bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction (ORR) and oxygen evolution (OER) is crucial for Zn-air batteries. Here, we report a La doped CoFe2O4 spinel catalyst supported on three-dimensional graphene (3D-G), where La can facilitate electron transfer from Co to Fe, leading to increased electron cloud density in Fe and improved catalytic performance. The redshift of the G peak in the Raman spectra indicates the interaction between the π bond of 3D-G and d orbitals in La0.2CoFe1.8O4. La0.2CoFe1.8/3D-G exhibits superior ORR performance (E1/2= 0.86 V vs. RHE) and OER performance (Ej=10= 1.55 V vs. RHE) to CoFe2O4/3D-G (E1/2= 0.831 V vs. RHE, Ej=10= 1.603 V vs. RHE). Furthermore, it demonstrates excellent bifunctional oxygen catalytic performance while maintaining high power density and stability in liquid zinc-air batteries (ZABs) and flexible ZABs (F-ZABs). This work presents a viable strategy for utilizing rare earth element doped spinels to enhance oxygen catalyst and ZABs performance.