Water Oxidation Catalysis Beginning with CuCo2S4: Investigation of the True Electrochemically Driven Catalyst |
| |
Authors: | Dr. Xiaoqiang Du Dr. Xiaoshuang Zhang Dr. Zhi Yang Prof. Yaqiong Gong |
| |
Affiliation: | School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, North University of China, Taiyuan, P.R. China |
| |
Abstract: | The exploitation of efficient and stable water oxidation catalysts is a pressing challenge to solve the energy crisis. Herein, flower‐like CuCo2S4 microspheres were successfully synthesized and used as an effective water oxidation catalyst. CuCo2S4/NF (NF=nickel foam) affords electrocatalytic water oxidation activity, with a current density of 20 mA cm?2 at a low overpotential of 260 mV. The overpotential value is lower than that of benchmark RuO2/NF (overpotential of 340 mV at a current density of 20 mA cm?2). The water oxidation activity increases linearly before nonlinearly improving with increasing pH; this indicates that the substrate changes from water to hydroxyl. The CuCo2S4/NF catalyst is demonstrated to be a real water oxidation catalyst based on diverse experiments. |
| |
Keywords: | electrochemistry nanostructures sulfur transition metals water splitting |
|