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Facile Synthesis of Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles by Thermal Decomposition of Cobalt(II) Carboxamide Complexes: Application as Oxygen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalyst in Alkaline Water Electrolysis

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Abstract

Cobalt oxide nanoparticles, Co3O4 (1) and Co3O4 (2), have been synthesized by thermal decomposition of [CoII(bqbenzo)] and [CoII(bqb)], respectively. The morphology of these oxides is influenced by the difference in the structure of bqbenzo2− {3,4-bis(2-quinolinecarboxamido) benzophenone and, bqb2− {bis(2-quinolinecarboxamido)-1,2-benzen}, only differing in a benzoyl substituent. The products were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The catalytic activity of the oxides was examined in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The Co3O4 oxides (1 and 2) exhibited higher catalytic activity compared to 10 wt% Pt/C in terms of obtained current density at 0.8 V; ∼23.3 versus 6.1 mA cm−2, respectively. However, the aging tests of the two oxides in OER revealed that Co3O4 (1) is more stable than Co3O4 (2). These results demonstrated that the Co3O4 (1) has a superior performance which can be employed in the alkaline water electrolyzer anode.

Co3O4 nanoparticles are synthesized via calcination of [Co(bqbenzo)] and [Co(bqb)] giving Co3O4 (1) and Co3O4 (2), respectively. Both oxides exhibit pronounced oxygen evolution activity compared to 10 wt% Pt/C and Co3O4 (1), with more robust polymorphic structure, exhibits remarkable stability during OER cycling.

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Acknowledgements

Partial support of this work by the Isfahan University of Technology Research Council and the Iranian Nano Technology Initiative Council is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 8415683111, Iran

    Soraia Meghdadi, Mehdi Amirnasr, Mohammad Zhiani, Fariba Jallili, Meysam Jari & Mahsa Kiani

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  1. Soraia Meghdadi
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Correspondence to Soraia Meghdadi or Mehdi Amirnasr.

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Meghdadi, S., Amirnasr, M., Zhiani, M. et al. Facile Synthesis of Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles by Thermal Decomposition of Cobalt(II) Carboxamide Complexes: Application as Oxygen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalyst in Alkaline Water Electrolysis. Electrocatalysis 8, 122–131 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-016-0345-7

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