新型双原子催化剂提升锌空气电池在实际应用中的性能

A research team has unveiled a breakthrough in improving the performance of zinc-air batteries (ZABs), which are an important energy storage technology. This breakthrough involves a new catalyst that significantly boosts the efficiency of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), a crucial process in ZABs. The development could lead to more efficient, long-lasting batteries for practical applications.
一支研究团队公布了提升锌空气电池性能的重大突破，该技术是重要的储能手段。这一突破涉及一种新型催化剂，可显著提高氧还原反应效率——此乃锌空气电池中的关键过程。该进展有望推动实用化电池迈向更高能效与更长续航。

The oxygen reduction reaction is a critical step in many energy conversion devices, including ZABs. However, the reaction often suffers from slow kinetics, which limits the performance of the batteries. To solve this, platinum-based catalysts are typically used, but they are expensive, scarce, and can be poisoned by impurities. Researchers have been searching for alternatives that are both cost-effective and highly efficient. This study focuses on a new class of catalysts called dual-atom catalysts (DACs), which consist of two metal atoms closely paired together to enhance catalytic activity.
氧还原反应是包括ZABs在内的许多能量转换装置中的关键步骤。然而，该反应往往存在动力学缓慢的问题，从而限制了电池性能。为解决这一问题，通常采用铂基催化剂，但其成本高昂、资源稀缺且易受杂质毒化。研究人员一直在寻找兼具成本效益与高效性能的替代方案。本研究聚焦于一类新型催化剂——双原子催化剂（DACs），其通过两个紧密配对的金属原子来增强催化活性。

The team, led by Di Zhang, assistant professor at Tohoku University's Advanced Institute of Materials Research (WPI-AIMR), used a combination of computational modeling and experimental techniques to design and create a dual-atom catalyst made of iron (Fe) and cobalt (Co), which are combined with nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in a porous structure. This catalyst, named Fe1Co1-N-C, was identified as the optimal catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline conditions. The unique combination of materials allows the catalyst to function efficiently, making it a promising candidate for use in ZABs.
由日本东北大学材料科学高等研究所（WPI-AIMR）助理教授张迪领导的团队，采用计算建模与实验技术相结合的方法，设计并制备出一种由铁（Fe）和钴（Co）与氮（N）、碳（C）在多孔结构中结合而成的双原子催化剂。这种命名为Fe1Co1-N-C的催化剂被证实为碱性条件下氧还原反应的最佳催化剂。这种材料的独特组合使催化剂能够高效运作，使其成为ZABs中极具应用前景的候选材料。

The researchers designed the Fe1Co1-N-C catalyst by first using a model to predict how pH (acidity) affects the reaction. This guided them in the creation of a catalyst with the right properties for maximum efficiency. They then synthesized the catalyst using a method that involved hard templates and a CO2 activation process to create a structure that has small pores. These pores are essential for allowing reactants to move through the material, which improves the overall catalytic performance.
研究人员通过模型预测pH值（酸度）如何影响反应，以此为指导设计出具有最佳效能的Fe1Co1-N-C催化剂。随后采用硬模板结合CO2活化工艺合成该催化剂，构建出具有微孔的结构。这些孔隙对反应物传质至关重要，从而提升了整体催化性能。

The results of the study were impressive. The Fe1Co1-N-C catalyst showed a significantly higher oxygen reduction activity than the commonly used platinum catalyst (Pt/C). In practical terms, the Fe1Co1-N-C-based zinc-air batteries demonstrated a high open-circuit voltage of 1.51 volts, meaning they can generate a substantial amount of energy. Additionally, the batteries displayed an energy density of 1079 watt-hours per kilogram of zinc (Wh kgZn-1), which is an excellent measure of energy storage capability.
研究结果令人瞩目。Fe1Co1-N-C催化剂显示出比常用铂催化剂（Pt/C）显著更高的氧还原活性。在实际应用中，基于Fe1Co1-N-C的锌空气电池展现出1.51伏的高开路电压，这意味着它们能产生大量能量。此外，该电池表现出每千克锌1079瓦时（Wh kgZn-1）的能量密度，这是衡量储能能力的优异指标。

In addition to the high voltage and energy density, the Fe1Co1-N-C-based batteries also demonstrated an excellent rate capability, meaning they can perform well even when subjected to high current densities -- ranging from 2 to 600 milliamps per square centimeter (mA cm-2). More remarkably, the batteries showed an ultra-long lifespan, lasting over 3600 hours and completing 7200 cycles under a moderate current, which is far superior to most other batteries.
除了高电压和高能量密度外，基于Fe1Co1-N-C的电池还表现出优异的倍率能力，这意味着即使在2至600毫安每平方厘米（mA cm-2）的高电流密度下，它们也能表现良好。更值得注意的是，该电池显示出超长寿命，在中等电流下可持续超过3600小时并完成7200次循环，远优于大多数其他电池。

Zhang explains, "This work provides an efficient and rational strategy for designing and synthesizing catalysts that can be used in real-world applications. By combining theoretical models with practical synthesis methods, we were able to develop a catalyst that can significantly improve the performance of zinc-air batteries."
张解释道：“这项工作为设计和合成可用于实际应用中的催化剂提供了一种高效且合理的策略。通过将理论模型与实际合成方法相结合，我们成功开发出一种能显著提升锌空气电池性能的催化剂。”

Looking ahead, Zhang and his team plan to continue their research by developing even more advanced methods to create dual-atom catalysts with precise atomic pairings. They also intend to enhance techniques for identifying the specific active sites in the catalysts. These efforts aim to further optimize the performance of energy conversion technologies and make them even more efficient and cost-effective for widespread use.
展望未来，张和他的团队计划继续研究，开发更先进的方法来创建具有精确原子配对的dual-atom催化剂。他们还打算改进识别催化剂中特定active sites的技术。这些努力旨在进一步优化energy conversion技术的性能，使其更高效、更具成本效益，以便广泛应用。

The research was supported by the Tohoku University Support Program, and key findings from this study are available on the Digital Catalysis Platform, a resource developed by the Hao Li Lab to assist in the discovery and development of new catalysts.
该研究得到了东北大学支持计划（Tohoku University Support Program）的资助，其关键研究成果已发布于Digital Catalysis Platform——该资源平台由Hao Li Lab开发，旨在协助新型催化剂的发现与开发。