CoNi Nanoparticles Supported on N-Doped Bifunctional Hollow Carbon Composites as High-Performance ORR/OER Catalysts for Rechargeable Zn-Air Batteries.

Searching for high-quality air electrode catalysts is the long-term goal for the practical application of Zn-air batteries. Here, a series of coexistent composite materials (CoNi/NHCS-TUC-) of cobalt-nickel supported on nitrogen-doped hollow spherical carbon and tubular carbon are obtained using a simple pyrolysis strategy. Co and Ni in the composites are mainly present in the form of alloy nanoparticles, M-N and M-C (M = Co or Ni) species, with high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)/oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electroactivity.