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Controllable 1D and 2D Cobalt Oxide and Cobalt Selenide Nanostructures as Highly Efficient Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Author(s) -
Zhang Chenyun,
Xin Bingwei,
Duan Shengfu,
Jiang Anning,
Zhang Baohua,
Li Zhonghao,
Hao Jingcheng
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemistry – an asian journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.18
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1861-471X
pISSN - 1861-4728
DOI - 10.1002/asia.201800814
Subject(s) - oxygen evolution , tafel equation , cobalt , nanorod , calcination , chemical engineering , catalysis , materials science , electrolyte , electrocatalyst , cobalt oxide , nanostructure , nanocrystal , nanotechnology , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , electrochemistry , electrode , biochemistry , engineering
The relationship between controllable morphology and electrocatalytic activity of Co 3 O 4 and CoSe 2 for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was explored in alkaline medium. Based on the time‐dependent growth process of cobalt precursors, 1D Co 3 O 4 nanorods and 2D Co 3 O 4 nanosheets were successfully synthesized through a facile hydrothermal process at 180 °C under different reaction times, followed by calcination at 300 °C for 2 h. Subsequently, 1D and 2D CoSe 2 nanostructures were derived by selenization of Co 3 O 4 , which achieved the controllable synthesis of CoSe 2 without templating agents. By comparing the electrocatalytic behavior of these cobalt‐based catalysts in 1 m KOH electrolyte toward the OER, both 2D Co 3 O 4 and 2D CoSe 2 nanocrystals have lower overpotentials and better electrocatalytic stability than that of 1D nanostructures. The 2D CoSe 2 nanosheets require overpotentials of 372 mV to reach a current density of 50 mA cm −2 with a small Tafel slope of 74 mV dec −1 . A systematic contrast of the electrocatalytic performances for the OER increase in the order: 1D Co 3 O 4 <2D Co 3 O 4 <1D CoSe 2 <2D CoSe 2 . This work provides fundamental insights into the morphology–performance relationships of both Co 3 O 4 and CoSe 2 , which were synthesized through the same approach, providing a solid guide for designing OER catalysts.