OER catalytic performance of a composite catalyst comprising multi-layer thin flake Co3O4 and PPy nanofibers

RSC Adv. 2023 Oct 31;13(45):32045-32053. doi: 10.1039/d3ra05936g. eCollection 2023 Oct 26.

Abstract

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a crucial role in energy conversion and storage processes, highlighting the significance of searching for efficient and stable OER catalysts. In this study, we have developed a composite catalyst, PPy@Co3O4, with outstanding catalytic performance for the OER. The catalyst was constructed by integrating multi-layer thin flake Co3O4 with attached PPy nanofibers, utilizing the rich active sites of Co3O4 and the flexibility and tunability of PPy nanofibers to optimize the catalyst structure. Through comprehensive characterization and performance evaluation, our results demonstrate that the PPy@Co3O4 (0.1 : 1) catalyst exhibits remarkable OER catalytic activity and stability. This research provides new strategies and insights for the development of efficient and stable OER catalysts, holding promising prospects for energy conversion and storage applications in relevant fields.