LaNiO3 modified with Ag nanoparticles as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc--air batteries

No-precious bifunctional catalysts with high electrochemical activities and stability were crucial to properties of rechargeable zinc–air batteries. Herein, LaNiO₃ modified with Ag nanoparticles (Ag/LaNiO₃) was prepared by the co-synthesis method and evaluated as the bifunctional oxygen catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Compared with LaNiO₃, Ag/LaNiO₃ demonstrated the enhanced catalytic activity towards ORR/OER as well as higher limited current density and lower onset potential. Moreover, the potential gap between ORR potential (at ?3 mA·cm^?2) and OER potential (at 5 mA·cm^?2) was 1.16 V. The maximum power density of the primary zinc–air battery with Ag/LaNiO₃ catalyst achieved 60 mW·cm^?2. Furthermore, rechargeable zinc–air batteries operated reversible charge–discharge cycles for 150 cycles without noticeable performance deterioration, which showed its excellent bifunctional activity and cycling stability as oxygen electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc–air batteries. These results indicated that Ag/LaNiO₃ prepared by the co-synthesis method was a promising bifunctional catalyst for rechargeable zinc–air batteries.