Issue 7, 2024

Co3O4 supported by ultrathin-layered graphitic carbon nitride for efficient electrocatalytic evolution of oxygen

Abstract

Transition-metal cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanoparticles have been widely used as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts, but their OER catalytic performance is not ideal due to particle agglomeration. To improve the catalytic reaction performance, we report a method using g-C3N4 nanosheets loaded with Co3O4 nanoparticles. We aimed to achieve efficient OER catalytic performance by exposing more active sites in the electrochemical reaction and increase the charge transfer rate through a synergistic interaction between solid phases. Co3O4 nanoparticles were prepared by a hydrothermal method and high-temperature calcination. g-C3N4 nanosheets with a layered structure were prepared by a solid-state reaction method. Co3O4@g-C3N4 heterojunctions were prepared by simple ultrasonic chemistry and a high-temperature fusion method. The OER catalytic performance of the catalyst was tested in KOH solution (1 M). The Co3O4@g-C3N4 heterojunction catalyst had the lowest overpotential (340 mV) and lowest Tafel slope (120.92 mV dec−1) when the current density was 10 mA cm−2. The highest ECSA was 50.25 mF cm−2, and the OER catalytic performance of the Co3O4@g-C3N4 catalyst is significantly higher than that of Co3O4 and g-C3N4. The structure and surface charge transfer pathway of g-C3N4 and Co3O4 were analyzed by DFT calculations. Spontaneous formation of an electric field at the interface promoted an asymmetric charge distribution, thus regulating the adsorption/desorption of OH during the OER. Due to the adjustment of the internal electric field and charge distribution at the heterojunction interface, the OER overpotential was reduced significantly, and the OER activity was increased significantly by Co3O4@g-C3N4. Our data provide aid rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts.

Graphical abstract: Co3O4 supported by ultrathin-layered graphitic carbon nitride for efficient electrocatalytic evolution of oxygen

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Jan 2024
Accepted
03 Mar 2024
First published
06 Mar 2024

React. Chem. Eng., 2024,9, 1751-1761

Co3O4 supported by ultrathin-layered graphitic carbon nitride for efficient electrocatalytic evolution of oxygen

R. Luo, X. Li, Y. Guo and R. Fu, React. Chem. Eng., 2024, 9, 1751 DOI: 10.1039/D4RE00020J

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