Bimetallic NiCo Loaded on the Nitrogen‐Rich Modified Lignin‐Derived Carbon Coordination Network for Accelerated Oxygen Reduction Kinetics

ABSTRACT The development of novel oxygen electrocatalysts with cost‐effectiveness, scalability, high catalytic activity, and stability presents a significant challenge for zinc–air batteries (ZABs). The nitrogen‐rich lignin coordination network structure is synthesized through amine modification of lignin. Additionally, in situ complexation of metal ions enables the controlled construction of lignin‐derived carbon electrocatalysts loaded with NiCo alloys. The abundant oxygen‐containing functional groups and the lone‐pair electrons in the amine groups of lignin facilitate high dispersion of metal species and their strong coupling with the support, thereby enhancing catalyst performance. In situ characterization indicates that amino groups can enhance oxygen adsorption through hydrogen bonding. And the introduction of nickel promoted efficient dissociation of the *OOH intermediate, optimizing the pathway of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In 0.1 mol L −1 KOH, NiCo–NC exhibits a superior half‐wave potential ( E 1/2 ) of 0.860 V, compared to Pt/C ( E 1/2 = 0.855 V). Strong metal–support interactions enhance the stability of NiCo–NC, achieving a current retention rate of 98.7% after 12 h of testing. Additionally, when used as the cathode in ZABs, NiCo–NC–ZAB achieves a maximum power density of 152 mW cm −2 and exhibits stability exceeding 250 h. This study presents a scalable technology for the development of novel non‐precious metal‐based catalysts.