Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2025, Vol. 68: 300-310.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(24)60173-7

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A visible-light-driven CoS2/CuS@CNT-C3N4 photocatalyst for high-performance rechargeable zinc-air batteries beyond 500 mW cm‒2

Yang Zhanga, Nengneng Xua,*(), Bingbing Gongc, Xiaoxiao Yea, Yi Yanga, Zhaodi Wanga, Biyan Zhuanga, Min Wangd, Woochul Yange, Guicheng Liuf, Joong Kee Leeg, Jinli Qiaoa,b,*()   

  1. aState Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
    bShanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
    cSchool of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, Xinjiang, China
    dSchool of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, Jiangsu, China
    eDepartment of Physics, Dongguk University, Seoul 04620, Korea
    fSchool of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
    gDepartment of Chemical & Biochemical Eng, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Korea
  • Received:2024-08-10 Accepted:2024-10-09 Online:2025-01-18 Published:2025-01-02
  • Contact: * E-mail: nengnengxu@dhu.edu.cn (N. Xu), qiaojl@dhu.edu.cn (J. Qiao).
  • Supported by:
    National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFE0138900);National Natural Science Foundation of China(21972017);“Scientific and Technical Innovation Action Plan” Basic Research Field of Shanghai Science and Technology Committee(19JC1410500)

Abstract:

Storing solar energy in battery systems is crucial to achieving a green and sustainable society. However, the efficient development of photo-enhanced zinc-air batteries (ZABs) is limited by the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers on the photocathode. In this work, the visible-light-driven CoS2/CuS@CNT-C3N4 photocatalyst with unique petal-like layer structure was designed and developed, which can be used as air electrode for visible-light-driven ZABs. The superior performance of ZABs assembled by CoS2/CuS@CNT-C3N4 was mainly attributed to the successful construction of Schottky heterojunction between g-C3N4 and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which accelerates the transfer of electrons from g-C3N4 to CoS2/CuS cocatalysts, improves the carrier separation ability, and extends the carrier lifetime. Thereinto, the visible-driven ZABs assembled by CoS2/CuS@CNT-C3N4 photocatalyst has a power density of 588.90 mW cm-2 and a charge-discharge cycle of 643 h under visible light irradiation, which is the highest performance ever reported for photo-enhanced ZABs. More importantly, the charge-discharge voltage drop of ZABs was only 0.54 V under visible light irradiation, which is significantly lower than the voltage drop (0.94 V) in the dark. This study provides a new idea for designing efficient and stable visible-light-driven ZABs cathode catalysts.

Key words: Visible-light-driven, CoS2/CuS@CNT-C3N4 photocatalyst, Zinc-air battery, Heterojunction, Photogenerated carriers