Dip-coating synthesis of high-surface area nanostructured FeB for direct usage as anode in metal/metalloid-air battery

Abstract

Multi-electron reaction anodes have been exciting battery materials due to their exceptionally high energy densities. Herein, nanostructured iron borides (nanoFeB) have been synthesized via dip-coating chemical reduction in conjunction with a heat treatment procedure and were directly used as anodes in a metal/metalloid-air battery. The crystal structure, particle size, BET surface area, and electrochemical properties of iron boride samples treated at four different temperature conditions (200 °C, 300 °C, 400 °C, and 500 °C) were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The nanoFeB heat-treated at 300 °C (nanoFeB300) exhibits the highest surface area among reported values in literature and demonstrates excellent anode discharge performance in a metal/metalloid-air battery. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.