title: One-dimensional manganese-cobalt oxide nanofibres as bi-functional cathode catalysts for rechargeable metal-air batteries.
abstract: Rechargeable metal-air batteries are considered a promising energy storage solution owing to their high theoretical energy density. The major obstacles to realising this technology include the slow kinetics of oxygen reduction and evolution on the cathode (air electrode) upon battery discharging and charging, respectively. Here, we report non-precious metal oxide catalysts based on spinel-type manganese-cobalt oxide nanofibres fabricated by an electrospinning technique. The spinel oxide nanofibres exhibit high catalytic activity towards both oxygen reduction and evolution in an alkaline electrolyte. When incorporated as cathode catalysts in Zn-air batteries, the fibrous spinel oxides considerably reduce the discharge-charge voltage gaps (improve the round-trip efficiency) in comparison to the catalyst-free cathode. Moreover, the nanofibre catalysts remain stable over the course of repeated discharge-charge cycling; however, carbon corrosion in the catalyst/carbon composite cathode degrades the cycling performance of the batteries.
authors.affiliation: New and Renewable Energy Research Division, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 152 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-343, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu-Nam
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, Innovation Campus, North Wollongong, New South Wales 2500, Australia.
authors.forename: Soo Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Advanced Batteries Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute, 68 Yatap-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 463-816, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Sik
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Advanced Batteries Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute, 68 Yatap-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 463-816, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Jae
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Advanced Batteries Research Center, Korea Electronics Technology Institute, 68 Yatap-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam 463-816, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Geun
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, Innovation Campus, North Wollongong, New South Wales 2500, Australia.
authors.forename: Shi Xue
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.affiliation: Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, Australian Institute for Innovative Materials, University of Wollongong, Innovation Campus, North Wollongong, New South Wales 2500, Australia.
authors.forename: Jung Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: New and Renewable Energy Research Division, Korea Institute of Energy Research, 152 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-343, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee