Anchoring Co3O4 nanoparticles on MXene for efficient electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

Yi Lu; Deqi Fan; Zupeng Chen; Weiping Xiao; Cancan Cao; Xiaofei Yang

doi:10.1016/j.scib.2019.12.020

Anchoring Co₃O₄ nanoparticles on MXene for efficient electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

Sci Bull (Beijing). 2020 Mar 30;65(6):460-466. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2019.12.020. Epub 2019 Dec 28.

Authors

Yi Lu¹, Deqi Fan¹, Zupeng Chen², Weiping Xiao³, Cancan Cao¹, Xiaofei Yang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
² Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
³ Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China. Electronic address: wpxiao@njfu.edu.cn.
⁴ Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Science, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Key Laboratory for Photonic and Electronic Band Materials, Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China. Electronic address: xiaofei.yang@njfu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36747435
DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2019.12.020

Abstract

Rational design and controllable synthesis of efficient electrocatalysts for water oxidation is of significant importance for the development of promising energy conversion systems, in particular integrated photoelectrochemical water splitting devices. Cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄) nanostructures with mixed valences (II,III) have been regarded as promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). They are able to promote catalytic support of OER but with only modest activity. Here, we demonstrate that the OER performance of cubic Co₃O₄ electrocatalyst is obviously improved when they are anchored on delaminated two-dimensional (2D) Ti₃C₂ MXene nanosheets. Upon activation the overpotential of the hybrid catalyst delivers 300 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 in basic solutions, which is remarkably lower than those of Ti₃C₂ MXene and Co₃O₄ nanocubes. The strong interfacial electrostatic interactions between two components contribute to the exceptional catalytic performance and stability. The enhanced OER activity and facile synthesis make these Co₃O₄ nanocubes-decorated ultrathin 2D Ti₃C₂ MXene nanosheets useful for constructing efficient and stable electrodes for high-performance electrochemical water splitting.

Keywords: Co(3)O(4); Electrocatalysis; Heterojunctions; MXene; Oxygen evolution reaction; Water splitting.