“Ultrathin Iron‐Cobalt Oxide Nanosheets with Abundant Oxygen Vacancies for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction” (2017), by Linzhou Zhuang et al. Energy research paper. Original abstract below, unchanged. No free PDF was found.

Ultrathin Iron‐Cobalt Oxide Nanosheets with Abundant Oxygen Vacancies for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Linzhou Zhuang, Lei Ge, Yisu Yang et al. · February 27, 2017 · Energy

Abstract

Electrochemical water splitting is a promising method for storing light/electrical energy in the form of H 2 fuel; however, it is limited by the sluggish anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). To improve the accessibility of H 2 production, it is necessary to develop an efficient OER catalyst with large surface area, abundant active sites, and good stability, through a low‐cost fabrication route. Herein, a facile solution reduction method using NaBH 4 as a reductant is developed to prepare iron‐cobalt oxide nanosheets (Fe x Co y ‐ONSs) with a large specific surface area (up to 261.1 m 2 g −1 ), ultrathin thickness (1.2 nm), and, importantly, abundant oxygen vacancies. The mass activity of Fe 1 Co 1 ‐ONS measured at an overpotential of 350 mV reaches up to 54.9 A g −1 , while its Tafel slope is 36.8 mV dec −1 ; both of which are superior to those of commercial RuO 2 , crystalline Fe 1 Co 1 ‐ONP, and most reported OER catalysts. The excellent OER catalytic activity of Fe 1 Co 1 ‐ONS can be attributed to its specific structure, e.g., ultrathin nanosheets that could facilitate mass diffusion/transport of OH − ions and provide more active sites for OER catalysis, and oxygen vacancies that could improve electronic conductivity and facilitate adsorption of H 2 O onto nearby Co 3+ sites.

Source page DOI: 10.1002/adma.201606793