Pyridinium functionalized coordination containers as highly efficient electrocatalysts for sustainable oxygen evolution

Abstract

Elaborately designed octanuclear coordination containers were synthesized through the self-assembly of M²⁺ (M = Co, Ni), p-tert-butylsulfonylcalix[4]arene, and pyridinium functionalized angular flexible dicarboxylate linker, H₂BrL1. The pyridinium functionalized coordination containers as robust molecular electrooxidation catalysts for water oxidation have been well investigated. They exhibited efficient electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity with the lowest overpotential of 0.290 V to afford 10 mA cm⁻² current density and remarkable stability over 48 h without any significant shift in the overpotential. The strategy for the functionalization of coordination containers provides a novel approach to achieve sustainable oxygen evolution with high efficiency and excellent stability, and a new opportunity for designing and realizing functional supramolecular materials for energy storage and conversion technologies.