Bifunctional Nb-N-C atomic catalyst for aqueous Zn-air battery driving CO2 electrolysis

Designing efficient and cost-effective bifunctional catalysts is desirable for carbon dioxide oxygen reduction reactions (CO2RR ORR) to address neutralization energy conversion. Herein, a CO2RR ORR catalyst aqueous Zn-air battery (ZAB) self-driving electrolysis developed using atomically dispersed niobium anchored onto N-doped ordered mesoporous (Nb-N-C). The Nb-N-C atomic demonstrates activity with CO Faradaic efficiency up 90%, half-wave potential of 0.84 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, ZAB peak power density 115.6 mW cm−2, owing the high Nb atom-utilization structure. Furthermore, two-unit ZABs in series, serving as source self-powered CO2 system, continuously convert average productivity 3.75 µmol h−1 mgcat−1 during first 10 h. Moreover, theoretical calculations exhibit that can form Nb-N coordination bonds, effectively reducing barriers potential-determining *COOH *O formation ORR.