Citation: Yongfa Huang, Tingzhen Li, Zhendong Liu, Wu Yang, Chengyu Jiang, Ren Zou, Jianyun Gan, Emmanuel Iwuoha, Usisipho Feleni, Jianwei Ren, Linxin Zhong, Xinwen Peng. Wood-derived single-atom catalysts via scalable in situ chloride etching strategy for zinc-air batteries[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(12): 111873. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111873 shu

Wood-derived single-atom catalysts via scalable in situ chloride etching strategy for zinc-air batteries

Yongfa Huang ^{a, 1} ,
Tingzhen Li ^{a, 1} ,
Zhendong Liu ^{a, 1} ,
Wu Yang ^{a, *,} ,
Chengyu Jiang ^a ,
Ren Zou ^a ,
Jianyun Gan ^a ,
Emmanuel Iwuoha ^b ,
Usisipho Feleni ^c ,
Jianwei Ren ^d ,
Linxin Zhong ^a ,
Xinwen Peng ^{a, *,}

a.
School of light Industry and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Papermaking and Paper-based Materials, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
b.
Sensor Laboratory (UWC Sensor Laboratories), Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa
c.
Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS), College of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida Science Campus, Johannesburg 1709, South Africa
d.
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, Cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield 0028, South Africa

yangw5@scut.edu.cn

fexwpeng@scut.edu.cn

Received Date: 30 June 2025
Revised Date: 17 September 2025
Accepted Date: 21 September 2025
Available Online: 22 September 2025

Figures(5)

Carbon-supported nitrogen-coordinated single metal-site (M-N-C) catalysts are considered ideal platinum group metal (PGM)-free cathode catalysts for zinc-air batteries (ZABs) due to their high metal utilization efficiency, unique size-dependent quantum effects, and excellent catalytic activity. However, large-scale, sustainable preparation of M-N-C catalysts remains a significant challenge owing to the complex synthesis procedures and the difficulty in achieving an optimal coordination environment between metal atoms and the carbon matrix. In this study, we develop a large-scale preparation method for Fe-N-C catalysts, which directly utilizes lignocellulosic materials through in situ etching and carbonization, without the need for pickling. During the in situ etching process, chloride ions (Cl⁻) weaken the hydrogen bonds in lignocellulose, facilitating the dissolution of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, thus creating abundant micropores. The Fe-N₄ active site is successfully formed during the subsequent carbonization process. The resulting SA-FeN₄/PC catalyst, benefiting from its porous structure and homogeneous dispersion of Fe-N₄ sites, exhibits enhanced oxygen reduction and evolution reaction (ORR/OER) performance and superior stability. When used as the cathode in ZABs, SA-FeN₄/PC demonstrates long-term stability, maintaining 520 h of operation at a current density of 5 mA/cm². Furthermore, by varying the metal cation, we successfully prepare other metal-nitrogen-carbon catalysts (SA-MN₄/PC, where M refers to Co, Ni, and Cu). This scalable synthesis strategy shows significant potential for the preparation of wood-based single-atom catalysts for high-temperature applications.
- Wood-derived carbon,
- Single-atom catalysts,
- Bifunctional catalysts,
- Multicellular structure,
- Zinc-air batteries
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