| Summary: | The design and fabrication of low-cost catalysts for highly efficient oxygen reduction are of paramount importance for various renewable energy-related technologies, such as fuel cells and metal–air batteries. Herein, we report the synthesis of Fe<sub>3</sub>N nanoparticle-encapsulated N-doped carbon nanotubes on the surface of a flexible biomass-derived carbon cloth (Fe<sub>3</sub>N@CNTs/CC) via a simple one-step carbonization process. Taking advantage of its unique structure, Fe<sub>3</sub>N@CNTs/CC was employed as a self-standing electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and possessed high activity as well as excellent long-term stability and methanol resistance in alkaline media. Remarkably, Fe<sub>3</sub>N@CNT/CC can directly play the role of both a gas diffusion layer and an electrocatalytic cathode in a zinc–air battery without additional means of catalyst loading, and it displays higher open-circuit voltage, power density, and specific capacity in comparison with a commercial Pt/C catalyst. This work is anticipated to inspire the design of cost-effective, easily prepared, and high-performance air electrodes for advanced electrochemical applications.
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