Calcium‐Mediated Fe─N Bond Reinforcement for Ultra‐Stable Oxygen Reduction Reaction

X Xuan Xie (State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University) Q Quanyu Wen (Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province Analytical Testing Center College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Eco‐functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education College of Engineering Northwest Normal University Lanzhou P. R. China) Z Zhuang Wu (The Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University , Changsha 410082,) B Binbin Jia H Huichao Qi (Analytical Testing Center Key Laboratory of Eco‐functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Northwest Normal University Lanzhou 730070 P.R. China) X Xiongtao Lv (Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials College of Materials and Chemical Engineering China Three Gorges University Yichang P. R. China) A Aochi Liu (Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences Ningbo P. R. China) K Ke Cai (School of Architectural Environment and Energy Application Engineering Hunan University Changsha P. R. China) H Hui Peng Z Zhe Zhang Z Ziqiang Lei (Key Laboratory of Eco‐functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province College of Geography and Environment Science College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Northwest Normal University Lanzhou China) K Kexin Wu G Guofu Ma (Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province Analytical Testing Center College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Eco‐functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education College of Engineering Northwest Normal University Lanzhou P. R. China) K Kun Liang J Jie Lin (Department of Oncology The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University Kunming China) L Lin Guo

Abstract

ABSTRACT The practical deployment of atomically dispersed Fe–N–C catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is severely hampered by the electrochemical leaching of Fe active sites. Inspired by the stabilizing role of Ca 2+ in metalloenzyme active sites, a novel Fe–Ca dual‐atom sites catalyst (Ca/Fe–N–C) is constructed on amorphous porous carbon nanosheets. The introduced Ca atom acts as an “electronic modulator” and “structural stabilizer,” which effectively lowers the oxidation state of Fe and reinforces Fe–N coordination bond. This ingenious design results in an exceptional ORR catalyst with the half‐wave potential of 0.912 V in alkaline media and unprecedented durability, exhibiting negligible decay after 80000 cycles. When integrated into Zn‐air batteries (ZABs), the Ca/Fe–N–C‐based cathode delivers a peak power density of 215 mW cm −2 and sustains operation for exceeding 1110 h, markedly superior to benchmark Pt/C. This work not only unveils the pivotal role of alkaline‐earth metals in stabilizing transition‐metal sites but also establishes a general paradigm for designing durable atomically dispersed catalysts for advanced energy conversion devices.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 38, Issue 40
Published July 01, 2026
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (16)

X

Xuan Xie

State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University

Q

Quanyu Wen

Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province Analytical Testing Center College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Eco‐functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education College of Engineering Northwest Normal University Lanzhou P. R. China

Z

Zhuang Wu

The Key Laboratory for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Devices of Ministry of Education & Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Low-Dimensional Structural Physics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University , Changsha 410082,

B

Binbin Jia

H

Huichao Qi

Analytical Testing Center Key Laboratory of Eco‐functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Northwest Normal University Lanzhou 730070 P.R. China

X

Xiongtao Lv

Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials College of Materials and Chemical Engineering China Three Gorges University Yichang P. R. China

A

Aochi Liu

Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences Ningbo P. R. China

K

Ke Cai

School of Architectural Environment and Energy Application Engineering Hunan University Changsha P. R. China

H

Hui Peng

Z

Zhe Zhang

Z

Ziqiang Lei

Key Laboratory of Eco‐functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province College of Geography and Environment Science College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Northwest Normal University Lanzhou China

K

Kexin Wu

G

Guofu Ma

Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials of Gansu Province Analytical Testing Center College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Key Laboratory of Eco‐functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education College of Engineering Northwest Normal University Lanzhou P. R. China

K

Kun Liang

J

Jie Lin

Department of Oncology The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University Kunming China

L

Lin Guo