A rechargeable zinc-air battery with ultra-high power density based on uniform N, Co co-doped carbon nanospheres

Highly efficient catalysts for both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are key to the commercialization of rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZABs). In this work, a catalyst with uniform nanospherical morphology was prepared from cobalt nitrate, acetylacetone, and hydrazine hydrate. The final catalyst possesses high ORR and OER performances, with a half-wave potential of 0.911 V [vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)] for ORR and a low potential of 1.57 V (vs RHE) at 10 mA cm–2 for OER in 0.1 M KOH solution. Specially, a ZAB based on the catalyst demonstrates an ultrahigh power density of 479.1 mW cm–2, as well as excellent stability, and potential in practical applications.