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 photoassisted rechargeable ZAB was proposed, featuring Ti-Fe2O3 decorated with Co0 & sdot;8Cu0.2-ZIF as the air electrode. Upon illumination, valence band holes were generated in Ti-Fe2O3, oxidizing Co2+ in Co0 & sdot;.8Cu0.2-ZIF to Co3+/ Co4+, 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-Fe2O3/Co0 & sdot;8Cu0.2-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.