Trifunctional electrocatalysts of ternary iron-copper-molybdenum Schiff base complexes applied to Zn-air battery and alkaline water splitting

The study developed a trifunctional electrocatalyst in which Mo provides Fe0.5Cu0.5-SB complexes with versatile multifunctional electrocatalytic activity. Fe0.5Cu0.5Mo0.5-SB-400 can serve as an electrocatalyst for the ORR, while Fe0.5Cu0.5Mo0.5-SB-600 and Fe0.5Cu0.5Mo0.5-SB-300 are promising for the OER and HER. The Fe0.5Cu0.5Mo0.5-SB-400/C electrodes exhibited good discharge power density in the Zn-air battery, outperforming both commercial Pt/C and Pt/C + RuO2. The HER and OER overpotentials at 100 mA cm(-2) of current density for Fe0.5Cu0.5Mo0.5-SB complexes are superior to those of well-developed noble electrocatalysts. The tunable electrocatalytic activity of Fe0.5Cu0.5Mo0.5-SB opens an avenue for designing low-cost trifunctional electrocatalysts and can be applied for the Zn-air battery and alkaline water splitting.