Enhancing the hole utilization efficiency of Ti–Fe2O3 photoelectrode by decorating CoCu-ZIF for efficient photo-assisted rechargeable zinc air batteries

To enhance the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance of the zinc-air battery (ZAB), reduce charging voltage, and improve energy utilization efficiency, a sunlight-assisted strategy has been implemented. The photo-assisted rechargeable ZAB was proposed, featuring Ti–Fe 2 O 3 decorated with Co 0 · 8 Cu 0.2 -ZIF as the air electrode. Upon illumination, valence band holes were generated in Ti–Fe 2 O 3 , oxidizing Co 2+ in Co 0 · .8 Cu 0.2 -ZIF to Co 3+ /Co 4+ , enhancing OER performance, reducing the charging voltage from 2 V to 1.3 V and effectively narrowing the charging-discharging voltage gap from approximately 1.15 V–0.45 V. The Ti–Fe 2 O 3 /Co 0 · 8 Cu 0.2 -ZIF structure maintains a round-trip efficiency of 65.3% after 300 cycles. This result demonstrates the successful integration of photoelectrochemical principles with ZAB technology, showcasing its efficacy in solar energy storage and light energy conversion.