Efficient activation of sulfite for reductive-oxidative degradation of chloramphenicol by carbon-supported cobalt ferrite catalysts

Activation of (bi)sulfite (S(IV)) by metal oxides is strongly limited by low electrons utilization.In this study,two carbon-supported cobalt ferrites spinels (Co Fe₂O₄QDs-GO and CoFe₂O₄MOFs-CNTs) have been successfully synthesized by one-step solvothermal method.It was found that both catalysts could efficiently activate S(IV),with rapid reductive dechlorination and then oxidative degradation of a recalcitrant antibiotic chloramphenicol (CAP).Character...     

Controllable 1D and 2D Cobalt Oxide and Cobalt Selenide Nanostructures as Highly Efficient Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

The relationship between controllable morphology and electrocatalytic activity of Co₃O₄ and CoSe₂ for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was explored in alkaline medium. Based on the time‐dependent growth process of cobalt precursors, 1D Co₃O₄ nanorods and 2D Co₃O₄ 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 CoSe₂ nanostructures were derived by selenization of Co₃O₄, which achieved the controllable synthesis of CoSe₂ without templating agents. By comparing the electrocatalytic behavior of these cobalt‐based catalysts in 1 m KOH electrolyte toward the OER, both 2D Co₃O₄ and 2D CoSe₂ nanocrystals have lower overpotentials and better electrocatalytic stability than that of 1D nanostructures. The 2D CoSe₂ 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 Co₃O₄<2D Co₃O₄<1D CoSe₂<2D CoSe₂. This work provides fundamental insights into the morphology–performance relationships of both Co₃O₄ and CoSe₂, which were synthesized through the same approach, providing a solid guide for designing OER catalysts.     

纯相和镍取代的Co_3O_4尖晶石催化剂用于N_2O直接分解(英文)

A series of NixCo1-xCo2O4(0 ≤ x ≤ 1) spinel catalysts were prepared by the co-precipitation method and used for direct N2O decomposition. The decomposition pathway of the parent precipitates was characterized by thermal analysis. The catalysts were calcined at 500 °C for 3 h and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, and N2 adsorption-desorption. Nickel cobaltite spinel was formed in the solid state reaction between NiO and Co3O4. The N2O decomposition measurement revealed significant increase in the activity of Co3O4 spinel oxide catalyst with the partial replacement of Co2+ by Ni2+. The activity of this series of catalysts was controlled by the degree of Co2+ substitution by Ni2+, spinel crystallite size, catalyst surface area, presence of residual K+, and calcination temperature.     

Plasma‐Engraved Co3O4 Nanosheets with Oxygen Vacancies and High Surface Area for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Co₃O₄, which is of mixed valences Co²⁺ and Co³⁺, has been extensively investigated as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The proper control of Co²⁺/Co³⁺ ratio in Co₃O₄ could lead to modifications on its electronic and thus catalytic properties. Herein, we designed an efficient Co₃O₄‐based OER electrocatalyst by a plasma‐engraving strategy, which not only produced higher surface area, but also generated oxygen vacancies on Co₃O₄ surface with more Co²⁺ formed. The increased surface area ensures the Co₃O₄ has more sites for OER, and generated oxygen vacancies on Co₃O₄ surface improve the electronic conductivity and create more active defects for OER. Compared to pristine Co₃O₄, the engraved Co₃O₄ exhibits a much higher current density and a lower onset potential. The specific activity of the plasma‐engraved Co₃O₄ nanosheets (0.055 mA cm^?2_BET at 1.6 V) is 10 times higher than that of pristine Co₃O₄, which is contributed by the surface oxygen vacancies.     

Catalytic Activity in CO Oxidation and Adsorption Characteristics of the Fe–Co Oxide System

We have used thermal desorption to study the catalytic activity in CO oxidation and the state of the surface of an iron–cobalt oxide system. In the region of co-existence of the spinels CoFe₂O₄ and CoCo₂O₄, the activity and specific surface area are practically constant. We observe substantial deviation from additivity for the catalytic activity in the region of co-existence of the oxide Fe₂O₃ and the spinel CoFe₂O₄. We have established that chemisorption of CO on the surface of the oxides leads to formation of a number of stable forms of chemisorbed CO₂, among which the least strongly bound ₂ form is characteristic of the most active catalysts.     

Active Electron Density Modulation of Co3O4-Based Catalysts Enhances their Oxygen Evolution Performance

Despite the fact that many strategies have been developed to improve the efficiency of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the precise modulation of the surface electronic properties of catalysts to improve their catalytic activity is still challenging. Herein, we demonstrate that the surface active electron density of Co₃O₄ can be effectively regulated by an argon-ion irradiation method. X-ray photoelectron and synchrotron x-ray absorption spectroscopy, UV photoelectron spectrometry, and DFT calculations show that the surface active electron density band center of Co₃O₄ has been upshifted, leading to a significantly enhanced absorption capability of the oxo group. The optimized Co₃O₄-based catalysts exhibit an excellent overpotential of 260 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² and Tafel slope of 54 mV dec⁻¹, superior to the capability of the benchmark RuO₂, representing one of the best Co-based OER catalysts. This approach could guide the future rational design and discovery of ideal electrocatalysts.     

Active Electron Density Modulation of Co3O4‐Based Catalysts Enhances their Oxygen Evolution Performance

Despite the fact that many strategies have been developed to improve the efficiency of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the precise modulation of the surface electronic properties of catalysts to improve their catalytic activity is still challenging. Herein, we demonstrate that the surface active electron density of Co₃O₄ can be effectively regulated by an argon‐ion irradiation method. X‐ray photoelectron and synchrotron x‐ray absorption spectroscopy, UV photoelectron spectrometry, and DFT calculations show that the surface active electron density band center of Co₃O₄ has been upshifted, leading to a significantly enhanced absorption capability of the oxo group. The optimized Co₃O₄‐based catalysts exhibit an excellent overpotential of 260 mV at 10 mA cm^?2 and Tafel slope of 54 mV dec^?1, superior to the capability of the benchmark RuO₂, representing one of the best Co‐based OER catalysts. This approach could guide the future rational design and discovery of ideal electrocatalysts.     

Grafting Molecular Cobalt‐oxo Cubane Catalyst on Polymeric Carbon Nitride for Efficient Photocatalytic Water Oxidation

In this work, we have successfully constructed a cobalt–oxo (Co^III₄O₄) cubane complex on polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) through pyridine linkage. The covalently grafted Co^III₄O₄ cubane units were uniformly distributed on the PCN surface. The product exhibited greatly enhanced photocatalytic activities for water oxidation under visible‐light irradiation. Further characterizations and spectroscopic analyses revealed that the grafted Co^III₄O₄ cubane units could effectively capture the photogenerated holes from excited PCN, lower the overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and serve as efficient catalysts to promote the multi‐electron water oxidation process. This work provides new insight into the future development of efficient photocatalysts by grafting molecular catalysts for artificial photosynthesis.     

Optimal Geometrical Configuration of Cobalt Cations in Spinel Oxides to Promote Oxygen Evolution Reaction

MgCo₂O₄, CoCr₂O₄, and Co₂TiO₄ were selected, where only Co³⁺ in the center of octahedron (Oh), Co²⁺ in the center of tetrahedron (Td), and Co²⁺ in the center of Oh, can be active sites for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Co³⁺(Oh) sites are the best geometrical configuration for OER. Co²⁺(Oh) sites exhibit better activity than Co²⁺(Td). Calculations demonstrate the conversion of O* into OOH* is the rate‐determining step for Co³⁺(Oh) and Co²⁺(Td). For Co²⁺(Oh), it is thermodynamically favorable for the formation of OOH* but difficult for the desorption of O₂. Co³⁺(Oh) needs to increase the lowest Gibbs free energy over Co²⁺(Oh) and Co²⁺(Td), which contributes to the best activity. The coexistence of Co³⁺(Oh) and Co²⁺(Td) in Co₃O₄ can promote the formation of OOH* and decrease the free‐energy barrier. This work screens out the optimal geometrical configuration of cobalt cations for OER and gives a valuable principle to design efficient electrocatalysts.     

Balancing Activity and Stability in Spinel Cobalt Oxides through Geometrical Sites Occupation towards Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution

Designing active and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts are vitally important to various energy conversion devices. Herein, we introduce elements Ni and Mn into (Co)_tet(Co₂)_octO₄ nanosheets (NSs) at fixed geometrical sites, including Mn_oct, Ni_oct, and Ni_tet, to optimize the initial geometrical structure and modulate the CoCo₂O₄ surface from oxygen-excess to oxygen-deficiency. The pristine (Ni,Mn)-(Co)_tet(Co₂)_octO₄ NSs shows excellent OER activity with an overpotential of 281.6 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻². Moreover, without damaging their initial activity, the activated (Act)-(Ni,Mn)-(Co)_tet(Co₂)_octO₄ NSs after surface reconstruction exhibit long-term stability of 100 h under 10 mA cm⁻², 50 mA cm⁻², or even 100 mA cm⁻². The optimal balance between electroactivity and stability leads to remarkable OER performances, providing a pivotal guideline for designing ideal electrocatalysts and inspiring more works to focus on the dynamic change of each occupation site component.     

Catalytic Active Site for NO Decomposition Elucidated by Surface Science and Real Catalyst

Comprehensive studies combining surface science and real catalyst were performed to get further insight into catalytic active site and reaction mechanism for NO decomposition over supported palladium and cobalt oxide-based catalysts. On palladium single-crystal model catalysts, adsorption, dissociation and desorption behavior of NO was found to be closely related to the surface structures, the stepped surface palladium being active for dissociation of NO. In accordance with this result, the activity of powder Pd/Al₂O₃ catalysts for NO decomposition was directly related to the number of step sites exposed on the surface, suggesting that the step sites act as the catalytic active site for NO decomposition on Pd/Al₂O₃. NO decomposition over cobalt oxide was found to be significantly promoted by addition of alkali metals. Surface science study and catalyst characterization led to the same conclusion that the interface between the alkali metal and Co₃O₄ serves as the catalytic active site. From the results of in situ Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and isotopic transient kinetic analysis, a reaction mechanism was proposed in which the reaction is initiated by NO adsorption onto alkali metals to form NO₂⁻ species and then NO₂⁻ species react with the adsorbed NO species to form N₂ over the interface between the alkali metal and Co₃O₄.     

Tailoring Oxygen Vacancy on Co3O4 Nanosheets with High Surface Area for Oxygen Evolution Reaction?

Electrochemical water splitting requires efficient water oxidation catalysts to accelerate the sluggish kinetics of water oxidation reaction. Here, we designed an efficient Co₃O₄ electrocatalyst using a pyrolysis strategy for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Morphological characterization confirmed the ultra-thin structure of nanosheet. Further, the existence of oxygen vacancies was obviously evidenced by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The increased surface area of Co₃O₄ ensures more exposed sites, whereas generated oxygen vacancies on Co₃O₄ surface create more active defects. The two scenarios were beneficial for accelerating the OER across the interface between the anode and electrolyte. As expected, the optimized Co₃O₄ nanosheets can catalyze the OER efficiently with a low overpotential of 310 mV at current density of 10 mA/cm² and remarkable long-term stability in 1.0 mol/L KOH.     

A Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for OER and ORR based on a Cobalt(II) Triazole Pyridine Bis-[Cobalt(III) Corrole] Complex

As alternative energy sources are essential to reach a climate-neutral economy, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) as futuristic energy carrier gains enormous awareness. However, seeking for stable and electrochemically selective H₂O₂ ORR electrocatalyst is yet a challenge, making the design of—ideally—bifunctional catalysts extremely important and outmost of interest. In this study, we explore the application of a trimetallic cobalt(II) triazole pyridine bis-[cobalt(III) corrole] complex Co^IITP[Co^IIIC]₂ 3 in OER and ORR catalysis due to its remarkable physicochemical properties, fast charge transfer kinetics, electrochemical reversibility, and durability. With nearly 100 % selective catalytic activity towards the two-electron transfer generated H₂O₂, an ORR onset potential of 0.8 V vs RHE and a cycling stability of 50 000 cycles are detected. Similarly, promising results are obtained when applied in OER catalysis. A relatively low overpotential at 10 mA cm⁻² of 412 mV, Faraday efficiency 98 % for oxygen, an outstanding Tafel slope of 64 mV dec⁻¹ combined with superior stability.     

Direct Visualisation of the Surface Atomic Active Sites of Carbon-Supported Co3O4 Nanocrystals via High-Resolution Phase Restoration

The atomic arrangement of the terminating facets on spinel Co₃O₄ nanocrystals is strongly linked to their catalytic performance. However, the spinel crystal structure offers multiple possible surface terminations depending on the synthesis. Thus, understanding the terminating surface atomic structure is essential in developing high-performance Co₃O₄ nanocrystals. In this work, we present direct atomic-scale observation of the surface terminations of Co₃O₄ nanoparticles supported on hollow carbon spheres (HCSs) using exit wavefunction reconstruction from aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy focal-series. The restored high-resolution phases show distinct resolved oxygen and cobalt atomic columns. The data show that the structure of {100}, {110}, and {111} facets of spinel Co₃O₄ exhibit characteristic active sites for carbon monoxide (CO) adsorption, in agreement with density functional theory calculations. Of these facets, the {100} and {110} surface terminations are better suited for CO adsorption than the {111}. However, the presence of oxygen on the {111} surface termination indicates this facet also plays an essential role in CO adsorption. Our results demonstrate direct evidence of the surface termination atomic structure beyond the assumed stoichiometry of the surface.     

水热合成Co3O4的制备参数调变及其催化分解N2O性能

以十六烷基三甲基溴化胺（CTAB）为模板剂,通过调变CTAB浓度水热合成了氧化钴前驱体,焙烧制得棒状形貌的Co₃O₄,在其表面浸渍K₂CO₃溶液制得K改性的Co₃O₄催化剂,用于N₂O分解。用X射线衍射（XRD）、N₂物理吸附（BET）、扫描电镜（SEM）、X射线光电子能谱（XPS）、H₂程序升温还原（H₂-TPR）和O₂程序升温脱附（O₂-TPD）等技术对催化剂进行了表征,考察了CTAB/钴及尿素/钴物质的量比等制备参数对Co₃O₄催化分解N₂O活性的影响。结果表明,CTAB浓度为0.05 mol/L、CTAB/钴离子物质的量比为1、尿素/钴离子物质的量比为4时,所制备的Co₃O₄催化剂具有较高的N₂O分解活性,而K改性可以进一步提升其催化性能。K改性的Co₃O₄在有氧有水气氛中400℃下进行N₂O分解反应,50 h后N₂O转化率仍保持在91%以上。     

Physico-chemical studies on thermal analysis of cobalt hexa(formato)ferrate(III) decahydrate

Thermal decomposition of cobalt hexa(formato)ferrate(III) decahydrate, Co₃[Fe(HCOO)₆]₂. 10H₂O, has been studied up to 973 K in static air atmosphere, employing TG, DTG, DSC, XRD, ESR, Mössbauer and infrared spectroscopic techniques. Dehydration occurs in two stages in the temperature range of 340–430 K. Immediately after the removal of the last water molecule the anhydrous complex undergoes decomposition till α-Fe₂O₃ and cobalt carbonate are formed at 588 K. In the final stage of remixing of cations, a solid state reaction between α-Fe₂O₃ and cobalt carbonate leads to the formation of CoFe₂O₄ at a temperature (953 K) much lower than for the ceramic method. A saturation magnetization value of 2310 Gauss of ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) shows its potential to function at high frequencies.     

氧空位和磷掺杂协同增强铁钴基材料电解水催化性能

为了研发高效、稳定的电解水催化剂,我们以氧空位和磷掺杂为基础,通过原位浸泡生长和两步热处理的方法,在泡沫铁上合成具有氧空位和磷掺杂的纳米花结构作为析氢反应(HER)和析氧反应(OER)双功能电催化剂。CoFe₂O₄已被报道为一种很有前途的OER和氧还原反应(ORR)电催化剂,然而CoFe₂O₄在HER中表现出电导率差、电催化反应慢的特性。CoFe₂O₄中氧空位(Ov)的形成可以有效调控催化剂表面的电子结构,有助于产生更多的缺陷和空位,从而提高OER的活性。随后,引入磷原子填充在空位中,制备的P-Ov-CoFe₂O₄/IF在碱性电催化测试中展现出优异的HER和OER性能,在10 mA·cm^-2电流密度下HER和OER过电位仅为54和191 mV,Tafel斜率分别为57和54 mV·dec^-1,并具有良好的循环稳定性。     

Structural variations and cation distributions in Mn3−xCoxO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 3) dense ceramics using neutron diffraction data

Single phase ceramics of cobalt manganese oxide spinels Mn_3?xCo_xO₄ were structurally characterized by neutron powder diffraction over the whole solid solution range. For x < 1.75, ceramics obtained at room temperature by conventional sintering techniques are tetragonal, while for x ≥ 1.75 ceramics sintered by Spark Plasma Sintering are of cubic symmetry. The unit cells, metal–metal and metal–oxygen average bonds decrease regularly with increasing cobalt content. Rietveld refinements using neutron data show that cobalt is first preferentially substituted on the tetrahedral site for x < 1, then on the octahedral site for increasing x values. Structural methods (bond valence sum computations and calculations based on Poix's work in oxide spinels) applied to our ceramics using element repartitions and [M–O] distances determined after neutron data refinements allowed us to specify the cation distributions in all phases. Mn²⁺ and/or Co²⁺ occupy the tetrahedral site while Mn³⁺, Co²⁺, Co^III (cobalt in low-spin state) and Mn⁴⁺ occupy the octahedral site. The electronic conduction mechanisms in our highly densified ceramics of pure cobalt and manganese oxide spinels are explained by the hopping of polarons between adjacent Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ and Co²⁺/Co^III on the octahedral sites.     

Thermal behavior of Ni,Co and Fe succinates embedded in silica matrix

This paper presents the thermal behavior of Co, Ni and Fe succinates obtained by sol-gel synthesis using Co(II), Ni(II) and Fe(III) nitrates, 1,4-butanediol and tetraethyl orthosilicate as reactants. The thermal analysis revealed the formation of succinates at 413–453 K and their decomposition to ferrites at 503–623 K. The rate constants for the decomposition of succinates to ferrites, calculated using the isotherms at 473, 523, 573 and 623 K, were used to determine the activation energy of each ferrite (NiFe₂O₄, Ni_0.3Co_0.7Fe₂O₄, Ni_0.7Co_0.3Fe₂O₄ and CoFe₂O₄) embedded in the silica matrix. By increasing the Ni content in the mixed Ni–Co ferrites, the activation energy decreases from 13.530 to 1.944 kJ mol^?1. The formation and decomposition of succinate precursors and the formation of silica matrix were confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy, while the formation of CoFe₂O₄ and NiFe₂O₄ single-phases embedded in the silica matrix was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. The nanocrystallites size decreases from 31.7 (CoFe₂O₄) to 18.5 nm (NiFe₂O₄). The optical band gap of mixed Co–Ni ferrites was significantly higher than that corresponding to CoFe₂O₄. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated against Rhodamine B under visible light. All the samples have photocatalytic activities, the best performance being obtained in the case of Ni_0.7Co_0.3Fe₂O₄.

     

Structure Sensitivity of CO Oxidation on Co3O4: A DFT Study

The reaction mechanism of CO oxidation on the Co₃O₄ (110) and Co₃O₄ (111) surfaces is investigated by means of spin‐polarized density functional theory (DFT) within the GGA+U framework. Adsorption situation and complete reaction cycles for CO oxidation are clarified. The results indicate that 1) the U value can affect the calculated energetic result significantly, not only the absolute adsorption energy but also the trend in adsorption energy; 2) CO can directly react with surface lattice oxygen atoms (O_2f/O_3f) to form CO₂ via the Mars–van Krevelen reaction mechanism on both (110)‐B and (111)‐B; 3) pre‐adsorbed molecular O₂ can enhance CO oxidation through the channel in which it directly reacts with molecular CO to form CO₂ [O₂(a)+CO(g)→CO₂(g)+O(a)] on (110)‐A/(111)‐A; 4) CO oxidation is a structure‐sensitive reaction, and the activation energy of CO oxidation follows the order of Co₃O₄ (111)‐A(0.78 eV)>Co₃O₄ (111)‐B (0.68 eV)>Co₃O₄ (110)‐A (0.51 eV)>Co₃O₄ (110)‐B (0.41 eV), that is, the (110) surface shows higher reactivity for CO oxidation than the (111) surface; 5) in addition to the O_2f, it was also found that Co³⁺ is more active than Co²⁺, so both O_2f and Co³⁺ control the catalytic activity of CO oxidation on Co₃O₄, as opposed to a previous DFT study which concluded that either Co³⁺ or O_2f is the active site.