An effective three-dimensional ordered mesoporous ZnCo2O4 as electrocatalyst for Li-O2 batteries

•Three-dimensional ordered mesoporous ZnCo2O4 materials as catalysts in lithium-oxygen batteries were prepared.•They show high bifunctional activity for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions.•They especially improve the reversibility and cycling stability of Li–O2 batteries.

Three-dimensional ordered mesoporous (3DOM) ZnCo2O4 materials have been synthesized via a hard template and used as bifunctional electrocatalysts for rechargeable Li-O2 batteries. The as-prepared ZnCo2O4 nanoparticles possess a high specific surface area of 127.2 m2 g−1 and a spinel crystalline structure. The Li-O2 battery utilizing 3DOM ZnCo2O4 shows a higher specific capacity of 6024 mAh g−1 than that with pure Ketjen black (KB). Moreover, the ZnCo2O4-based electrode enables much enhanced cyclability with a smaller discharge-recharge voltage gap than that of the carbon-only cathode. Such excellent catalytic performance of ZnCo2O4 could be associated with its larger surface area and 3D ordered mesoporous structure.