In
summary, Li, Chen, Yang and co-workers successfully constructed atomically
dispersed Sb active sites on the hierarchical mesoporous carbon framework
via a molten chloride salt-assisted pyrolysis strategy, forming a unique SbN
4–Cl
coordination structure. This innovative design effectively regulated the
electronic structure of the Sb center through the introduction of an axial
chlorine ligand, optimizing the p-band distribution and significantly reducing
the adsorption energy of key intermediates such as HO
*, thereby
enhancing the kinetic rate and overall catalytic efficiency of the ORR. This
study not only overcomes the inherent limitation of low catalytic activity
commonly observed in main-group metal catalysts but also greatly expands their
application prospects in energy conversion systems such as fuel cells and
metal–air batteries. Moreover, it provides new theoretical guidance and design
strategies for tuning the p-band structure of main-group metal SACs through precise coordination engineering. However,
the air electrode in zinc-air batteries is simultaneously governed by the
oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and ORR during charge-discharge cycling. Therefore,
the development of main-group metal catalysts with bifunctional ORR and OER
activity in both acidic and alkaline environments is essential. In addition,
from a practical perspective, substantial improvements in the long-term cycling
stability and overall durability of electrode materials in zinc-air batteries
are imperative.