Fe, Co, and Ni co-doped nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes for the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction†

The creation of efficient non-precious metals is crucial for advancing electrochemical systems used in energy conversion and storage technologies. This work introduces an exceptionally potent and durable electrocatalyst, a trimetallic nitrogen-enriched carbon nanotube composite (FeCoNi@CNTs-NC-2), synthesized through a process of pyrolysis followed by acid treatment. Electrochemical tests have demonstrated that this catalyst displays remarkable performance and longevity in facilitating the oxygen reduction reaction. Furthermore, when integrated into Zn–air batteries, it delivers outstanding open-circuit voltage, power output, and specific energy capacity. These discoveries offer valuable insights for the engineering of effective and reliable electrocatalysts based on non-precious metal alloys.