Developing effective ways to recycle rusted stainless steel and to promote the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER), associated with water splitting and metal–air batteries, is important for a resource-sustainable and environment-friendly society. Herein, we propose a strategy to enable rusted stainless steel plate to be used as an abundant and low-cost OER catalyst, wherein a hydrothermal combined in situ electrochemical oxidation–reduction cycle (EORC) method is developed to mimic and expedite the corrosion process, and thus activate stainless steel into free-standing OER electrodes. Benefiting from the plentiful electrolyte-accessible Fe/(Ni) oxyhydroxides, high conductivity and mechanical stability, this electrode exhibits remarkable OER performances including low overpotential, fast kinetics, and long-term durability. The slight degradation in current after long-term use can be repaired immediately in situ by an EORC.

Developing effective ways to recycle rusted stainless steel and to promote the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER), associated with water splitting and metal–air batteries, is important for a resource-sustainable and environment-friendly society. Herein, we propose a strategy to enable rusted stainless steel plate to be used as an abundant and low-cost OER catalyst, wherein a hydrothermal combined in situ electrochemical oxidation–reduction cycle (EORC) method is developed to mimic and expedite the corrosion process, and thus activate stainless steel into free-standing OER electrodes. Benefiting from the plentiful electrolyte-accessible Fe/(Ni) oxyhydroxides, high conductivity and mechanical stability, this electrode exhibits remarkable OER performances including low overpotential, fast kinetics, and long-term durability. The slight degradation in current after long-term use can be repaired immediately in situ by an EORC.

Polydopamine (PDA), which is biodegradable and is derived from naturally occurring products, can be employed as an electrode material, wherein controllable partial oxidization plays a key role in balancing the proportion of redox-active carbonyl groups and the structural stability and conductivity. Unexpectedly, the optimized PDA derivative endows lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) or sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with superior electrochemical performances, including high capacities (1818 mAh g⁻¹ for LIBs and 500 mAh g⁻¹ for SIBs) and good stable cyclabilities (93 % capacity retention after 580 cycles for LIBs; 100 % capacity retention after 1024 cycles for SIBs), which are much better than those of their counterparts with conventional binders.

Polydopamine (PDA), which is biodegradable and is derived from naturally occurring products, can be employed as an electrode material, wherein controllable partial oxidization plays a key role in balancing the proportion of redox-active carbonyl groups and the structural stability and conductivity. Unexpectedly, the optimized PDA derivative endows lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) or sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) with superior electrochemical performances, including high capacities (1818 mAh g⁻¹ for LIBs and 500 mAh g⁻¹ for SIBs) and good stable cyclabilities (93 % capacity retention after 580 cycles for LIBs; 100 % capacity retention after 1024 cycles for SIBs), which are much better than those of their counterparts with conventional binders.

The pressing demand on the electronic vehicles with long driving range on a single charge has necessitated the development of next-generation high-energy-density batteries. Non-aqueous Li-O₂ batteries have received rapidly growing attention due to their higher theoretical energy densities compared to those of state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries.To make them practical for commercial applications, many critical issues must be overcome, including low round-trip efficiency and poor cycling stability, which are intimately connected to the problems resulting from cathode degradation during cycling. Encouragingly, during the past years, much effort has been devoted to enhancing the stability of the cathode using a variety of strategies and these have effectively surmounted the challenges derived from cathode deteriorations,thus endowing Li-O₂ batteries with significantly improved electrochemical performances. Here, a brief overview of the general development of Li-O₂ battery is presented. Then, critical issues relevant to the cathode instability are discussed and remarkable achievements in enhancing the cathode stability are highlighted. Finally, perspectives towards the development of next generation highly stable cathode are also discussed.

Identifying effective means to improve the electrochemical performance of oxygen-evolution catalysts represents a significant challenge in several emerging renewable energy technologies. Herein, we consider metal–nitrogen–carbon sheets which are commonly used for catalyzing the oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR), as the support to load NiO nanoparticles for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER). FeNC sheets, as the advanced supports, synergistically promote the NiO nanocatalysts to exhibit superior performance in alkaline media, which is confirmed by experimental observations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our findings show the advantages in considering the support effect for designing highly active, durable, and cost-effective OER electrocatalysts.

Identifying effective means to improve the electrochemical performance of oxygen-evolution catalysts represents a significant challenge in several emerging renewable energy technologies. Herein, we consider metal–nitrogen–carbon sheets which are commonly used for catalyzing the oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR), as the support to load NiO nanoparticles for the oxygen-evolution reaction (OER). FeNC sheets, as the advanced supports, synergistically promote the NiO nanocatalysts to exhibit superior performance in alkaline media, which is confirmed by experimental observations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our findings show the advantages in considering the support effect for designing highly active, durable, and cost-effective OER electrocatalysts.

Nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) materials have been proposed as next-generation oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts to significantly improve scalability and reduce costs, but these alternatives usually exhibit low activity and/or gradual deactivation during use. Here, we develop new 2D sandwich-like zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) derived graphene-based nitrogen-doped porous carbon sheets (GNPCSs) obtained by in situ growing ZIF on graphene oxide (GO). Compared to commercial Pt/C catalyst, the GNPCSs show comparable onset potential, higher current density, and especially an excellent tolerance to methanol and superior durability in the ORR. Those properties might be attributed to a synergistic effect between NC and graphene with regard to structure and composition. Furthermore, higher open-circuit voltage and power density are obtained in direct methanol fuel cells.

Nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) materials have been proposed as next-generation oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts to significantly improve scalability and reduce costs, but these alternatives usually exhibit low activity and/or gradual deactivation during use. Here, we develop new 2D sandwich-like zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) derived graphene-based nitrogen-doped porous carbon sheets (GNPCSs) obtained by in situ growing ZIF on graphene oxide (GO). Compared to commercial Pt/C catalyst, the GNPCSs show comparable onset potential, higher current density, and especially an excellent tolerance to methanol and superior durability in the ORR. Those properties might be attributed to a synergistic effect between NC and graphene with regard to structure and composition. Furthermore, higher open-circuit voltage and power density are obtained in direct methanol fuel cells.