Silver supported on Co3O4 modified carbon as electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media

The electroreduction of oxygen was firstly studied on Ag/Co₃O₄–C in alkaline media prepared by depositing Ag on Co₃O₄ modified carbon (Co₃O₄–C). The Ag/Co₃O₄–C composite not only displayed relatively large electrochemical active surface area (ESA), high catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), but also exhibited good methanol tolerance and stability in alkaline media. Ag/Co₃O₄–C could be a valuable catalyst for ORR and be applied to alkaline fuel cells and metal–air batteries.     

氮掺杂碳纳米管负载Co3O4氧还原电催化剂的制备与性能

以碳纳米管(CNT)为原料,通过负载维生素B₁₂,简单热解得到了一种氮掺杂碳纳米管(N/CNT)负载低含量Co₃O₄纳米颗粒的氧还原电催化剂(Co₃O₄@N/CNT)。得益于均匀分散的Co₃O₄纳米颗粒以及氮掺杂,Co₃O₄@N/CNT表现出了优异的氧还原催化性能,其半波电位达到了0.844 V(vs RHE),超越了商业Pt/C(0.820 V(vs RHE))。与Pt/C相比,基于Co₃O₄@N/CNT组装的锌-空气电池表现出了更优的放电性能和循环稳定性。     

氮掺杂碳纳米管负载Co3O4氧还原电催化剂的制备与性能

以碳纳米管(CNT)为原料,通过负载维生素B₁₂,简单热解得到了一种氮掺杂碳纳米管(N/CNT)负载低含量Co₃O₄纳米颗粒的氧还原电催化剂(Co₃O₄@N/CNT)。得益于均匀分散的Co₃O₄纳米颗粒以及氮掺杂,Co₃O₄@N/CNT表现出了优异的氧还原催化性能,其半波电位达到了0.844 V(vs RHE),超越了商业Pt/C(0.820 V(vs RHE))。与Pt/C相比,基于Co₃O₄@N/CNT组装的锌-空气电池表现出了更优的放电性能和循环稳定性。     

La2O3 promotional effect to Co3O4/γ-Al2O3 catalyst in the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with CO2 as soft oxidant

Co₃O₄/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts with variable Co₃O₄ loadings (5–20 wt%) and deposition of 15% Co₃O₄ on La₂O₃/γ-Al₂O₃ were prepared by wet impregnation method. La₂O₃-γ-Al₂O₃ support with variable composition of La₂O₃ (2–6 wt%) were prepared by co-precipitation method. All the catalysts were tested for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with CO₂ as soft oxidant. Among the Co₃O₄/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts, 15% Co₃O₄/γ-Al₂O₃ has shown good performance and hence this catalyst has been chosen to investigate the effect of La₂O₃ species. CO₂ pulse chemisorption data indicate more amount of CO₂ uptake over 15% Co₃O₄/4%La₂O₃/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst which clearly indicates that this catalyst exhibits good performance in ethylbenzene dehydrogenation with CO₂ as soft oxidant because of reverse water gas shift reaction. Temperature programmed reduction studies indicate that the Co₃O₄ catalysts follow two step reduction mechanism from Co₃O₄ to CoO and then to Co and La₂O₃ promotional effect is visible through facile reduction of Co₃O₄ species. La₂O₃ doping has a vital influence in getting enhanced ethylbenzene conversion, styrene yield and alleviates catalyst deactivation compared to that of unpromoted Co₃O₄/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst. TGA studies indicate the presence low amount coke deposition during time-on-stream over 15% Co₃O₄/4%La₂O₃/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst compared to 15% Co₃O₄/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst.     

Integrated Ultrafine Co0.85Se in Carbon Nanofibers: An Efficient and Robust Bifunctional Catalyst for Oxygen Electrocatalysis

Transition-metal selenides are emerging as alternative bifunctional catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR); however, their activity and stability are still less than desirable. Herein, ultrafine Co_0.85Se nanoparticles encapsulated into carbon nanofibers (CNFs), Co_0.85Se@CNFs, is reported as an integrated bifunctional catalyst for OER and ORR. This catalyst exhibits a low OER potential of 1.58 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) (E_{J=10, OER}) to achieve a current density (J) of 10 mA cm⁻² and a high ORR potential of 0.84 V vs. RHE (E_{J=−1, ORR}) to reach −1 mA cm⁻². Thus, the potential between E_{J=10, OER} and E_{J=−1, ORR} is only 0.74 V, indicating considerable bifunctional activity. The excellent bifunctionality can be attributed to high electronic conduction, abundant electrochemically active sites, and the synergistic effect of Co_0.85Se and CNFs. Furthermore, this Co_0.85Se@CNFs catalyst displays good cycling stability for both OER and ORR. This study paves a new way for the rational design of hybrid catalysts composed of transition-metal selenides and carbon materials for efficiently catalyzing OER and ORR.     

Surface Reorganization on Electrochemically‐Induced Zn–Ni–Co Spinel Oxides for Enhanced Oxygen Electrocatalysis

Herein, we highlight redox‐inert Zn²⁺ in spinel‐type oxide (Zn_XNi_1?XCo₂O₄) to synergistically optimize physical pore structure and increase the formation of active species on the catalyst surface. The presence of Zn²⁺ segregation has been identified experimentally and theoretically under oxygen‐evolving condition, the newly formed V_Zn?O?Co allows more suitable binding interaction between the active center Co and the oxygenated species, resulting in superior ORR performance. Moreover, a liquid flow Zn–air battery is constituted employing the structurally optimized Zn_0.4Ni_0.6Co₂O₄ nanoparticles supported on N‐doped carbon nanotube (ZNCO/NCNTs) as an efficient air cathode, which presents remarkable power density (109.1 mW cm^?2), high open circuit potential (1.48 V vs. Zn), excellent durability, and high‐rate performance. This finding could elucidate the experimentally observed enhancement in the ORR activity of Zn_XNi_1?XCo₂O₄ oxides after the OER test.     

Construction of Co4 Atomic Clusters to Enable Fe−N4 Motifs with Highly Active and Durable Oxygen Reduction Performance

Fe−N−C catalysts with single-atom Fe−N₄ configurations are highly needed owing to the high activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, the limited intrinsic activity and dissatisfactory durability have significantly restrained the practical application of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Here, we demonstrate that constructing adjacent metal atomic clusters (ACs) is effective in boosting the ORR performance and stability of Fe−N₄ catalysts. The integration of Fe−N₄ configurations with highly uniform Co₄ ACs on the N-doped carbon substrate (Co₄@/Fe₁@NC) is realized through a “pre-constrained” strategy using Co₄ molecular clusters and Fe(acac)₃ implanted carbon precursors. The as-developed Co₄@/Fe₁@NC catalyst exhibits excellent ORR activity with a half-wave potential (E_1/2) of 0.835 V vs. RHE in acidic media and a high peak power density of 840 mW cm⁻² in a H₂−O₂ fuel cell test. First-principles calculations further clarify the ORR catalytic mechanism on the identified Fe−N₄ that modified with Co₄ ACs. This work provides a viable strategy for precisely establishing atomically dispersed polymetallic centers catalysts for efficient energy-related catalysis.     

Highly dispersed Mn2O3−Co3O4 nanostructures on carbon matrix as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst

This work reports the synthesis of various carbon (Vulcan XC-72 R) supported metal oxide nanostructures, such as Mn₂O₃, Co₃O₄ and Mn₂O₃−Co₃O₄ as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts for the degradation of organic dye pollutants, namely Rhodamine B (RB) and Congo Red (CR) in wastewater. The activity results showed that the bimetallic Mn₂O₃−Co₃O₄/C catalyst exhibits much higher activity than the monometallic Mn₂O₃/C and Co₃O₄/C catalysts for the degradation of both RB and CR pollutants, due to the synergistic properties induced by the Mn−Co and/or Mn (Co)−support interactions. The degradation efficiency of RB and CR was considerably increased with an increase of reaction temperature from 25 to 45°C. Importantly, the bimetallic Mn₂O₃−Co₃O₄/C catalyst could maintain its catalytic activity up to five successive cycles, revealing its catalytic durability for wastewater purification. The structure–activity correlations demonstrated a probable mechanism for the degradation of organic dye pollutants in wastewater, involving •OH radical as well as Mn²⁺/Mn³⁺ or Co²⁺/Co³⁺ redox couple of the Mn₂O₃−Co₃O₄/C catalyst.     

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。     

MnxOy/NC and CoxOy/NC Nanoparticles Embedded in a Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Matrix for High‐Performance Bifunctional Oxygen Electrodes

Reversible interconversion of water into H₂ and O₂, and the recombination of H₂ and O₂ to H₂O thereby harnessing the energy of the reaction provides a completely green cycle for sustainable energy conversion and storage. The realization of this goal is however hampered by the lack of efficient catalysts for water splitting and oxygen reduction. We report exceptionally active bifunctional catalysts for oxygen electrodes comprising Mn₃O₄ and Co₃O₄ nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen‐doped carbon, obtained by selective pyrolysis and subsequent mild calcination of manganese and cobalt N₄ macrocyclic complexes. Intimate interaction was observed between the metals and nitrogen suggesting residual M–N_x coordination in the catalysts. The catalysts afford remarkably lower reversible overpotentials in KOH (0.1 M ) than those for RuO₂, IrO₂, Pt, NiO, Mn₃O₄, and Co₃O₄, thus placing them among the best non‐precious‐metal catalysts for reversible oxygen electrodes reported to date.     

Designing Breathing Air-electrode and Enhancing the Oxygen Electrocatalysis by Thermoelectric Effect for Efficient Zn-air Batteries

The sluggish kinetics and mutual interference of oxygen evolution and reduction reactions in the air electrode resulted in large charge/discharge overpotential and low energy efficiency of Zn-air batteries. In this work, we designed a breathing air-electrode configuration in the battery using P-type Ca₃Co₄O₉ and N-type CaMnO₃ as charge and discharge thermoelectrocatalysts, respectively. The Seebeck voltages generated from thermoelectric effect of Ca₃Co₄O₉ and CaMnO₃ synergistically compensated the charge and discharge overpotentials. The carrier migration and accumulation on the cold surface of Ca₃Co₄O₉ and CaMnO₃ optimized the electronic structure of metallic sites and thus enhanced their intrinsic catalytic activity. The oxygen evolution and reduction overpotentials were enhanced by 101 and 90 mV, respectively, at temperature gradient of 200 °C. The breathing Zn-air battery displayed a remarkable energy efficiency of 68.1 %. This work provides an efficient avenue towards utilizing waste heat for improving the energy efficiency of Zn-air battery.     

Facile Synthesis of MOF-derived Mn3O4@N-doped Carbon with Efficient Oxygen Reduction

Integration of MnO_x into the carbon matrix proves a viable strategy to improve the electrochemical performance of MnO_x materials. Mn₃O₄ nanoparticle-decorated N-doped carbon composites (Mn₃O₄@N-doped carbon) were facilely prepared from a non-porous eight-fold interpenetrated Zn^II-based MOF, which involves first synthesis of bimetallic Mn/Zn-MOF in one-pot reaction followed by direct pyrolysis at 1000 °C. In 0.1 m KOH solution, the optimal Mn₃O₄@N-doped carbon exhibits decent oxygen reduction activity with the onset potential (E_onset) of 0.94 V (vs. RHE) and half-wave potential (E_1/2) of 0.81 V (vs. RHE), excellent methanol tolerance as well as good durability.     

Surface Reorganization on Electrochemically-Induced Zn–Ni–Co Spinel Oxides for Enhanced Oxygen Electrocatalysis

Herein, we highlight redox-inert Zn²⁺ in spinel-type oxide (Zn_XNi_1−XCo₂O₄) to synergistically optimize physical pore structure and increase the formation of active species on the catalyst surface. The presence of Zn²⁺ segregation has been identified experimentally and theoretically under oxygen-evolving condition, the newly formed V_Zn−O−Co allows more suitable binding interaction between the active center Co and the oxygenated species, resulting in superior ORR performance. Moreover, a liquid flow Zn–air battery is constituted employing the structurally optimized Zn_0.4Ni_0.6Co₂O₄ nanoparticles supported on N-doped carbon nanotube (ZNCO/NCNTs) as an efficient air cathode, which presents remarkable power density (109.1 mW cm⁻²), high open circuit potential (1.48 V vs. Zn), excellent durability, and high-rate performance. This finding could elucidate the experimentally observed enhancement in the ORR activity of Zn_XNi_1−XCo₂O₄ oxides after the OER test.     

Comparative study of Co3O4-ZSM-5 catalysts synthesized by different hydrothermal methods for the catalytic oxidation of dichloromethane

In this work, various Co₃O₄-ZSM-5 catalysts were prepared by the microwave hydrothermal method (MH-Co₃O₄@ZSM-5), dynamic hydrothermal method (DH-Co₃O₄@ZSM-5), and conventional hydrothermal method (CH-Co₃O₄/ZSM-5). Their catalytic oxidation of dichloromethane (DCM) was analyzed. Detailed characterizations such as X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), H₂ temperature-programmed reduction (H₂-TPR), temperature-programmed desorption of O₂ (O₂-TPD), temperature-programmed desorption of NH₃ (NH₃-TPD), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectra with NH₃ molecules (NH₃-DRIFT), and temperature-programmed surface reaction (TPSR) were performed. Results showed that with the assistance of microwave, MH-Co₃O₄@ZSM-5 formed a uniform core-shell structure, while the other two samples did not. MH-Co₃O₄@ZSM-5 possessed rich surface adsorbed oxygen species, higher ratio of Co³⁺/Co²⁺, strong acidity, high reducibility, and oxygen mobility among the three Co₃O₄-ZSM-5 catalysts, which was beneficial for the improvement of DCM oxidation. In the oxidation of dichloromethane, MH-Co₃O₄@ZSM-5 presented the best activity and mineralization, which was consistent with the characterizations results. Meanwhile, according to the TPSR test, HCl or Cl₂ removal from the catalyst surface was also promoted in MH-Co₃O₄@ZSM-5 by their abundant Brønsted acid sites and the promotion of Deacon reaction by Co₃O₄ or the synergistic effect of Co₃O₄ and ZSM-5. According to the results of in situ DRIFT studies, a possible reaction pathway of DCM oxidation was proposed over the MH-Co₃O₄@ZSM-5 catalysts.     

Co3O4@Cu-Based Conductive Metal–Organic Framework Core–Shell Nanowire Electrocatalysts Enable Efficient Low-Overall-Potential Water Splitting

In the work reported herein, the electrocatalytic properties of Co₃O₄ in hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions have been significantly enhanced by coating a shell layer of a copper-based metal–organic framework on Co₃O₄ porous nanowire arrays and using the products as high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. The coating of the copper-based metal–organic framework resulted in the hybridization of the copper-embedded protective carbon shell layer with Co₃O₄ to create a strong Cu−O−Co bonding interaction for efficient hydrogen adsorption. The hybridization also led to electronically induced oxygen defects and nitrogen doping to effectively enhance the electrical conductivity of Co₃O₄. The optimal as-prepared core–shell hybrid material displayed excellent overall-water-splitting catalytic activity that required overall voltages of 1.45 and 1.57 V to reach onset and a current density of 10 mA cm⁻², respectively. This is the first report to highlight the relevance of hybridizing MOF-based co-catalysts to boost the electrocatalytic performance of nonprecious transition-metal oxides.     

A new strategy to improve catalytic activity for chlorinated volatile organic compounds oxidation over cobalt oxide: Introduction of strontium carbonate

Co₃O₄–SrCO₃ catalysts with various Sr/Co ratios were synthesized by the coprecipitation method, and their properties were tuned by adjusting the Sr/Co molar ratio. Furthermore, the catalytic combustion of vinyl chloride (VC) was used to evaluate the catalytic activity of the Co₃O₄–SrCO₃ catalysts. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), N₂ sorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), H₂ temperature-programmed reduction (H₂-TPR) and VC temperature-programmed desorption (VC-TPD). The results showed that the Co₃O₄–SrCO₃ catalysts exhibited composite phases of Co₃O₄ and SrCO₃ and the presence of interactions between them. As a result, the crystallization of the Co₃O₄ phase for the Co₃O₄–SrCO₃ catalysts was restrained, and the state of Co on the catalyst surface was adjusted. Furthermore, the reducibility and VC adsorption capacity of the Co₃O₄–SrCO₃ catalysts with Sr/Co molar ratios of 0.2 and 0.4 were enhanced compared with those of the Co₃O₄ catalyst. Otherwise, catalyst SrCo-0.4 exhibited excellent catalytic performance, accompanied by the highest reaction rate and the lowest apparent activation energy. More importantly, the optimized SrCO₃–Co₃O₄ catalyst showed superior catalytic performance compared with other transition metal oxides in previous literature. These results brought a new idea for promoting the activity of transition metal catalysts for the deep oxidation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) by introducing alkaline-earth metal salts.     

The Kirkendall Effect for Engineering Oxygen Vacancy of Hollow Co3O4 Nanoparticles toward High‐Performance Portable Zinc–Air Batteries

Structure and defect control are widely accepted effective strategies to manipulate the activity and stability of catalysts. On a freestanding hierarchically porous carbon microstructure, the tuning of oxygen vacancy in the embedded hollow cobaltosic oxide (Co₃O₄) nanoparticles is demonstrated through the regulation of nanoscale Kirkendall effect. Starting with the embedded cobalt nanoparticles, the concentration of oxygen‐vacancy defect can vary with the degree of Kirkendall oxidation, thus regulating the number of active sites and the catalytic performances. The optimized freestanding catalyst shows among the smallest reversible oxygen overpotential of 0.74 V for catalyzing oxygen reduction/evolution reactions in 0.1 m KOH. Moreover, the catalyst shows promise for substitution of noble metals to boost cathodic oxygen reactions in portable zinc–air batteries. This work provides a strategy to explore catalysts with controllable vacancy defects and desired nano‐/microstructures.     

Binary α-Fe2O3–Co3O4 nanostructures for advanced oxidation process: Role of synergy for enhanced catalysis

Iron and its binary oxides are meticulously exploited for environmental remediations. However, only limited studies have been carried out on the degradation of industrial organics by advanced oxidation process. In this study, iron oxide, cobalt oxide, and iron–cobalt binary oxides were synthesized by a modified hydrothermal method as heterogeneous Fenton-like catalysts for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from wastewaters. The oxide nanostructures were characterized by different analytical techniques. Studying the effects of various parameters such as catalyst dose, MB concentration, and H₂O₂ concentration, the reaction conditions were optimized to enhance the removal of MB dye. The results revealed that α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ shows much higher activity than both Co₃O₄ and α-Fe₂O₃ for the degradation of MB at room temperature and beyond. The binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ shows degradation efficiency of 96.4% at 65 °C within 60 min. Furthermore, the binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ catalyst retains its activity for up to four successive cycles. A probable mechanism is also proposed, involving the generation of ‧OH radical as well as Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ or Co²⁺/Co³⁺ redox couple of the binary α-Fe₂O₃–Co₃O₄ catalyst.     

Behavior of Porous Titanium and Catalytically Active Electrodes Based on It in Acidic Chloride Solutions

The behavior of porous titanium and electrodes based on it, which are activated with Pt, Au, RuO₂, Co₃O₄, and MnO₂, in 20-% LiCl solution (pH –0.4 to –0.5) is studied. On porous titanium in the potential ranges 0.1 < E< 0.5 and 0.5 < E< 1.1 V (NHE), the formation of titanium hydrides and passive oxide layers, respectively, is observed; the processes decay with time. In the ranges E< 0.1 and E> 1.1 V, the dissolved oxygen reduction and chlorine evolution, respectively, are observed on porous titanium at high overpotentials. On porous titanium activated with thin-layer Pt, Au, and RuO₂coatings, the functional Evs. pH dependence, which is typical for these electrocatalysts, breaks down due to the conjugate reactions of titanium oxidation. On porous titanium activated with Co₃O₄and MnO₂, at pH below unity, chlorine evolution is observed; its rate is limited by the chlorine mass transfer into the bulk solution. Under a gas-diffusion control, the chlorine evolution rate is determined by the diffusion of absorbed hydrogen chloride. The conditions of application of porous titanium as the support for catalytically active electrodes of electrochemical sensors in acidic chloride solutions are considered.     

A Bifunctional Hybrid Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions: Nano-Co3O4-Deposited La0.5Sr0.5MnO3 via Infiltration

For rechargeable metal–air batteries, which are a promising energy storage device for renewable and sustainable energy technologies, the development of cost-effective electrocatalysts with effective bifunctional activity for both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has been a challenging task. To realize highly effective ORR and OER electrocatalysts, we present a hybrid catalyst, Co₃O₄-infiltrated La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO_3-δ (LSM@Co₃O₄), synthesized using an electrospray and infiltration technique. This study expands the scope of the infiltration technique by depositing ~18 nm nanoparticles on unprecedented ~70 nm nano-scaffolds. The hybrid LSM@Co₃O₄ catalyst exhibits high catalytic activities for both ORR and OER (~7 times, ~1.5 times, and ~1.6 times higher than LSM, Co₃O₄, and IrO₂, respectively) in terms of onset potential and limiting current density. Moreover, with the LSM@Co₃O₄, the number of electrons transferred reaches four, indicating that the catalyst is effective in the reduction reaction of O₂ via a direct four-electron pathway. The study demonstrates that hybrid catalysts are a promising approach for oxygen electrocatalysts for renewable and sustainable energy devices.