Novel catalyst integrates single atoms and bonded atom pairs to enhance oxygen reduction reaction activity, suggesting new pathways for energy conversion.
Integrating cross-scale active sites-single atoms (SA), atom pairs (AP), and nanoparticles-into a unified catalytic system presents a promising strategy for advancing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), an extremely important process in energy conversion. However, the synergistic interplay among these sites and their mechanistic roles remains poorly understood. Here, we report a novel catalyst (3) featuring ZnSA, bonded Fe-CoAP with dual-oxygen ligands, and Fe0.72Co0.28 nanoparticles, synthesized via pyrolysis of a metal matrix-engineered metal-organic framework (MOF). Combined experimental/theoretical studies reveal the bonded Fe-CoAP sites with dual oxygen ligands serve as the primary active centers, where the CoFe-CoAP bonded O ligand directly participates in the formation of the *OH intermediate, and the FeOFe-CoAP modulates the Co d-band center (ɛd), facilitating *OH desorption-the ORR rate-limiting step. Meanwhile, adjacent metal nanoparticles and single Zn atom collectively assist intermediate adsorption strengths and co-activation of adsorbed O2. This promising synergy endows 3 with exceptional ORR activity, enabling a Zn-air battery with high-power/gravimetric energy density. This work establishes a MOF-based platform for electrocatalyst design while elucidating the critical role of oxygen-bridged metal pairs in regulating reaction pathways.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Wu et al. (2025) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: