Cobalt-based co-ordination complex-derived nanostructure for efficient oxygen evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline medium

Naveen Kumar; Aashima Sharma; Kritika Rajput; Ramesh Kataria; S K Mehta

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10939

Cobalt-based co-ordination complex-derived nanostructure for efficient oxygen evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline medium

Heliyon. 2022 Oct 5;8(10):e10939. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10939. eCollection 2022 Oct.

Authors

Naveen Kumar¹, Aashima Sharma¹, Kritika Rajput², Ramesh Kataria¹, S K Mehta¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Panjab University, Sector-14, Chandigarh, India.
² Department of Physics, Panjab University, Sector-14, Chandigarh, India.

Abstract

Electrochemical water splitting is one of the most important method for energy conversion and storage. For this, the design and development of a low-cost robust electrocatalyst are highly desirable. In this study, Cobalt-based electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution Reaction was synthesized by thermal treatment of Cobalt-dehydroacetic acid (Co-DHA). The as-synthesized Co nanostructures and Co-DHA crystals were characterized with powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy thermo-gravimetric analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The electrochemical O₂ evolution study shows the overpotential (at 10 mV/cm^-2) correspond to 294 mV vs reference hydrogen electrode (RHE) for K-300 (Co₃O₄@300), whereas K-500 (Co₃O₄@500) shows 170 mV vs RHE values in 1 M KOH solution, respectively. Similar trends have been observed for electrochemical O₂ evolution studies in 0.5 M H₂SO₄, where K-300 and K-500 shows the overpotential (at 10mV/cm^-2) of 234 mV vs RHE, and 199 mV vs RHE, respectively. The outcomes show better catalytic efficiency of K-500 as compared to K-300.

Keywords: Cobalt nanostructures; Cobalt oxide; Dehydroacetic acid; Electrocatalyst; O2 evolution.