Bioinspired molecular catalysts with a unique tricopper architecture for highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction.

In situ growth of intertwined trinuclear copper complexes (nCu3) on a cellulose-derived carbon support (CMC) produced a high-performance electrocatalyst (CMC–nCu3) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which demonstrated superior performance in zinc–air batteries compared to a commercial Pt/C catalyst. This work highlights the importance of copper-based molecular catalysts with rich and intertwined tricopper structures for boosting both ORR activity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]