Axial Oxygen Ligands Regulating Electronic and Geometric Structure of Zn-N-C Sites to Boost Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

ABSTRACT: Zn-N-C possesses the intrinsic inertia for Fenton-like reaction and can retain robust durability in harsh circumstance, but it is often neglected in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) because of its poor catalytic activity. Zn is of fully filled 3d¹⁰ 4s² configuration and is prone to evaporation, making it difficult to regulate the electronic and geometric structure of Zn center. Here, guided by theoretical calculations, five-fold coordinated single-atom Zn sites with four in-plane N ligands is constructed and one axial O ligand (Zn-N₄ -O) by ionic liquid-assisted molten salt template method. Additional axial O not only triggers a geometry transformation from the planar structure of Zn-N₄ to the non-planar structure of Zn-N₄ -O, but also

SUBMITTER: Jin Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10460851 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature