Recently, researchers at the Center for Environmental and Energy Nanotechnology at the Institute of Solid State Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, replaced the Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) with Urea Oxidation Reaction (UOR) A new type of energy-efficient rechargeable zinc-air battery was designed and developed. At the same time, the enhanced electrocatalytic electrolytic hydrogen production technology was developed, which was the design of new energy-saving metal-air battery device and the development of clean hydrogen energy The study was published on Electrochimica Acta and Chemical Communications.
Design and development of new, efficient and environmentally friendly energy devices and technologies, such as metal zinc-empty batteries, fuel cells, electrocatalytic decomposition of aquatic hydrogen, is one of the important research contents to achieve advanced and sustainable clean energy technology development. New energy devices and technologies are practical and commercialized, researchers are committed to the development of a variety of efficient electrocatalyst materials, thereby increasing the performance of battery devices (such as fuel cells, zinc - empty batteries) or reduce the electrocatalytic decomposition of hydrogen production voltage, (Transition metal-based catalyst, carbon-based catalyst, etc.). The design and development of non-noble metal electrocatalyst (transition metal-based catalyst, carbon-based catalyst, etc.) have achieved remarkable results, but its excessive electrocatalytic oxygen precipitation reaction (OER) overpotential (OER) has been used to improve the electrochemical energy storage and conversion efficiency. And its slow dynamic reaction process, seriously restricting the development of rechargeable air battery technology and electrolysis of water and hydrogen energy technology.The study found that, compared to the constant pursuit of the design of efficient OER electrocatalyst ideas, the use of another more efficient and environmentally friendly Oxidation reactions (such as urea oxidation reaction UOR) to replace the inefficient oxygen precipitation reaction is a new development road.
In view of this, the researchers designed and prepared a multi-functional Mn-Ni (OH) 2 / CFC catalyst material, which was assembled into a rechargeable metal-zinc air battery.Through comparison, it was found that the use of UOR instead of OER to achieve zinc- (About 0.3V), thus saving energy consumption of 12-21%. The development of high efficiency Ni2P / CFC catalyst applied to the electrocatalytic decomposition of aquatic hydrogen production, found that the battery can effectively reduce the charging voltage of zinc - The use of UOR to replace the OER, the two electrodes to reduce the voltage of electrolysis of water (about 0.2V); the use of human urine as an electrolyte can be electrolyzed water efficient hydrogen production, electrolytic hydrogen production of hydrogen is much lower than the current reported high efficiency OER Electrolysis of water hydrogen production voltage, only 1.33V. The above results for the design and development of high efficiency electrochemical related energy devices and technology provides a new idea to show the practical application value.
The above research has been funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Innovation Team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Figure 1 (1) rechargeable zinc - empty battery diagram and the new zinc - empty battery charge and discharge performance curve; (2) electrolytic urea system hydrogen production and Ni2P / CFC electrode in the 'urea' and 'no urea' Of the two - electrode system under the linear scanning curve.
