Melamine-induced defect-rich carbon supporting Fe-Mo heteronuclear dual-atom catalyst for high-efficiency Zn-air batteries
摘要
The symmetric FeN4 configuration in conventional single-atom catalysts strongly binds oxygenated intermediates, creating a high energy barrier for the rate-determining *OH desorption step and limiting ORR kinetics. Herein, we construct an asymmetric Mo–Fe dual-atom catalyst on a defect-rich N-doped carbon matrix (Mo–Fe–NC (MA)) to overcome this limitation. The FeN3–MoN3 coordination enables electron donation from Mo to Fe, weakening Fe–OH bonds and facilitating the rate-determining *OH desorption. The catalyst demonstrates outstanding oxygen reduction activity in 0.1 M KOH, with a half-wave potential of 0.918 V vs. RHE, surpassing Pt/C and single-atom references. In zinc-air batteries, it delivers a peak power density of 147.7 mW cm−2 and operates stably for over 725 h. Flexible solid-state devices also show robust performance under bending, highlighting their promise for wearable energy applications.