Breakthrough in Atomically Dispersed Multi-Metal Catalysts for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction

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Researchers from Sun Yat-sen University have developed a novel topological confinement pre-anchoring strategy to synthesize atomically dispersed ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalysts. The innovative approach has led to superior oxygen reduction reaction performance, surpassing that of commercial Pt/C and rivaling the highest-performing catalysts reported to date. The ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalyst demonstrates exceptional activity, achieving a half-wave potential of 0.86 V and delivering a kinetic current density of 10.1 mA cm-2 at 0.85 V versus RHE in 0.1 m KOH electrolyte.

Key Takeaways:

  • The research develops a novel topological confinement pre-anchoring strategy to synthesize atomically dispersed ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalysts.
  • The approach enables the exposure of active sites, mass transport, and improvement of intrinsic activity, leading to superior oxygen reduction reaction performance.
  • The ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalyst achieves a half-wave potential of 0.86 V and a kinetic current density of 10.1 mA cm-2 at 0.85 V versus RHE in 0.1 m KOH electrolyte.
  • The catalyst surpasses the performance of commercial Pt/C and rivals the highest-performing catalysts reported to date.
  • The Zn-air battery built with the ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalyst exhibits high power density (278.5 mW cm-2) and specific discharging capacities (657 mAh g-1).
  • This research provides a new design pathway for constructing atomically dispersed multi-metal electrocatalysts for high-performance energy-related applications.

Statistics:

  • 0.86 V: Half-wave potential achieved by the ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalyst.
  • 10.1 mA cm-2: Kinetic current density achieved by the ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalyst at 0.85 V versus RHE in 0.1 m KOH electrolyte.
  • 278.5 mW cm-2: Power density of the Zn-air battery built with the ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalyst.
  • 657 mAh g-1: Specific discharging capacities of the Zn-air battery built with the ZnFe bimetallic single-atom catalyst.

Sources:

  • VerticalNews. "Data on Chemicals and Chemistry Described by Researchers at Sun Yat-sen University (Constructing Atomically Dispersed Bimetallic Electrocatalyst By a Topologically Confined Pre-anchoring Strategy for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction and ...)." Journal of Engineering. October 20, 2025; p 290.
  • ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS. "Constructing Atomically Dispersed Bimetallic Electrocatalyst By a Topologically Confined Pre-anchoring Strategy for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction and Zn-air Battery." 2025.