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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Kui Zhang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2026 The Author(s). Carbon and Hydrogen published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co., Ltd.This study is aimed at the demand for high-performance energy storage systems in flexible wearable electronic devices, focusing on the development of cathode catalysts for flexible zinc–air batteries. Aiming at the problems of high cost and resource constraints of traditional noble metal catalysts, this study designed a nonnoble metal composite catalyst (Cu3-Co1/AC) based on copper–cobalt oxide/activated carbon and proposed an innovative “step-by-step synthesis-dielectric barrier discharge plasma synergistic modification” preparation strategy. By systematically regulating the plasma treatment power, time, and atmosphere, the influence of this modification technology on the microstructure, surface chemical state, and electrochemical performance of the catalyst was deeply explored. The results showed that the optimal modification condition was treated under oxygen atmosphere and 50 W for 10 min. This condition effectively introduces abundant oxygen vacancy defects into the catalyst, optimizes the valence distribution of Cu+/Cu2+ and Co2+/Co3+, and strengthens the interface coupling between metal oxide and carbon support. The obtained Cu3-Co1/AC-DBD catalyst shows excellent bifunctional catalytic activity of ORR and OER, and the obtained bifunctional potential difference (ΔE) is about 0.866 V. The assembled flexible zinc–air battery exhibited a high power density of 240 mW cm−2 and achieved long-cycle stable operation of more than 90 h at a current density of 5 mA cm−2. This work not only confirms the effectiveness and uniqueness of low-temperature plasma technology in controllable preparation and performance enhancement of nonnoble metal catalysts, but also provides a new solution for the development of low-cost, high-activity, and long-life flexible zinc–air battery cathode materials’ solution and solid experimental foundation.
Author(s): Wu H, Li S, Liu N, Wang Y, Wang S, Ma Y, Ma Z, Zhang K, Yang D
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Carbon and Hydrogen
Year: 2026
Volume: 28
Issue: 1
Pages: 136-145
Print publication date: 01/03/2026
Online publication date: 26/02/2026
Acceptance date: 10/02/2026
Date deposited: 28/04/2026
ISSN (print): 2097-535X
ISSN (electronic): 3067-1205
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc
URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/cbh2.70050
DOI: 10.1002/cbh2.70050
Data Access Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request
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