The global demand for sustainable energy solutions continues to rise, driven by the need to address fossil fuel depletion and environmental pollution. Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (RZABs) have emerged as a promising technology due to their high energy density, low cost, and environmental compatibility. However, the practical application of RZABs has been hindered by the slow kinetics and poor durability of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts. Currently, the most advanced catalysts for these reactions are based on noble metals like Pt/C and RuO₂, which are expensive and lack long-term stability.

A team of researchers from Wenzhou University, Zhaotong University, and the State Grid Wencheng Electric Power Supply Company, China has developed a novel bifunctional oxygen catalyst (CoNC@FePc). This catalyst is synthesized by anchoring iron phthalocyanine (FePc) molecules onto cobalt nanoparticles embedded within a nitrogen-doped carbon matrix derived from ZIF-67. The study leverages the significant electron transfer between cobalt nanoparticles and FePc molecules to enhance catalytic performance.

The CoNC@FePc catalyst demonstrates exceptional performance in both ORR and OER. It achieves a half-wave potential of 0.87 V for ORR, surpassing commercial Pt/C catalysts, and a low overpotential of 314 mV at 10 mA/cm² for OER, outperforming RuO₂. When incorporated into zinc-air batteries, CoNC@FePc delivers a remarkable peak power density of 150.2 mW/cm² and maintains outstanding cyclic stability for over 100 hours. These results highlight the catalyst's potential for efficient and durable energy storage applications.

This research offers a cost-effective and efficient alternative to noble metal-based catalysts, addressing the critical need for affordable and sustainable energy storage solutions. The straightforward synthesis method and superior performance of CoNC@FePc provide a new strategy for developing advanced bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts, advancing the field of clean energy technologies. The findings are particularly relevant for the development of next-generation zinc-air batteries, which require high efficiency and long-term stability to become viable commercial products.