One-pot scalable route to tri-functional electrocatalysts FeCoPx nanoparticles for integrated electrochemical devices

Developing handy synthesis routes to fabricate low-cost, high-activity, and multifunctional electrocatalysts for a variety of electrochemical reactions is highly desirable so as to achieve the goal that one catalyst can be used for integrated electrolysis devices, thus greatly simplifying the electrocatalyst system processing. Here, we report a one-pot scalable pyrolysis strategy to fabricate a tri-functional electrocatalyst, i.e., hybrids with carbon coating FeCoPx nanoparticles, which shows favorable electrocatalytic properties toward oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline solution, and hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic condition. The new synthesis routes enable us to readily develop an integrated device with a Zn-air battery driving an alkali-acid electrolyzer by just using one catalyst. The present work may shed light on the practical viability of the development of multifunctional electrocatalysts for integrated devices applications.

Automated summary

This research presents a one-pot scalable pyrolysis strategy to fabricate a tri-functional electrocatalyst, which exhibits favorable electrocatalytic properties towards oxygen reduction, oxygen evolution, and hydrogen evolution reactions in different electrolyte conditions. The new synthesis routes enable the development of integrated devices with the potential practical viability of multifunctional electrocatalysts.