Bifunctional Electrocatalyst Derived by High-Temperature Pyrolysis of 3-Amino-1,2,4-Triazole-Modified Fe-ZIF Nanostructures for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reactions

Recently, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) have received great attention for the development of renewable energy and energy storage systems. In the context of catalyst standpoint, developing single-atom catalysts (SACs) with bifunctional electrocatalytic reactions (ORR/OER) has emerged as a fascinating research field in recent years. However, a majority of SACs that have been reported have a complicated synthesis route that involves many steps and harmful solvents and suffer from aggregation phenomena, which makes them unsustainable for industrial use. Herein, a bifunctional C-Atz-20 electrocatalyst was fabricated by inserting a secondary organic linker, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (Atz), into Fe-ZIF followed by high-temperature pyrolysis and its ORR/OER elucidated. To fully comprehend the function of Atz addition, the nanostructured materials underwent an extensive characteristic analysis. The results showed that the C-Atz-20 exhibited better long-term ORR and OER stability tests when compared with Pt/C and RuO 2, respectively. Interestingly, the high ORR activity of C-Atz-20 originally contributed to the presence of a large fraction of pyridinic and graphitic N. Rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) measurement illustrates the ORR mechanism in the catalytic process, giving a better understanding of electron transport, thus paving the way for the design and development of heterogeneous catalysts with simple preparation and operating procedures.