Design of carbon-coated MnCo bimetallic oxide as an efficient oxygen reduction catalyst and its application in zinc-air batteries

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have garnered significant attention owing to their high safety, environmental friendliness, and cycle stability. Commercially available platinum‑carbon catalysts, despite their effectiveness, are prohibitively expensive, prompting researchers to focus on developing cost-effective alternatives. In this study, we successfully synthesized a high-performance, cycle-stable, methanol-tolerant material, [(MnCo) 2 O 4 @C], as an ORR catalyst for ZABs using affordable raw materials and a novel synthesis approach. The (MnCo) 2 O 4 @C catalyst exhibits a half-wave potential of 0.879 V. At a current density of 5 mA cm −2 , it enables the battery to operate stably for over 500 h, demonstrating exceptional ORR performance suitable for practical applications. This research offers a promising strategy for the development of non-precious metal catalysts for ZABs.