Trifunctional Self-Supporting Cobalt-Embedded Carbon Nanotube Films for ORR, OER, and HER Triggered by Solid Diffusion from Bulk Metal

The development of robust and efficient trifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and hydrogen reaction (HER) is central to regenerative metal–air batteries and overall water splitting. It is still a big challenge to achieve an efficient integration of three functions in one freestanding electrode. Herein, a facile and upscalable strategy is demonstrated, to construct cobalt nanoparticle-encapsulated 3D conductive films (Co/CNFs), which were induced by in situ solid diffusion from bulk cobalt metal. Under high-temperature, volatile cobalt species from bulk cobalt foil are trapped by the contacted nitrogen-rich carbons, followed by catalytic growth of interconnected carbon tubes, forming the 3D structured film. This resulting film can be directly preformed as self-supporting and binder-free electrode, which simultaneously facilitates the ORR, OER, and HER with excellent activities and superior stability. Furthermore, such “all-in-one” film also exhibits remarkable performance for Zn–air batteries and overall water splitting, demonstrating its feasibility for practical applications.