Crystal plane-dependent electrocatalytic activity of Co3O4 toward oxygen evolution reaction

• First report of crystal plane effect of Co3O4 on electrocatalytic water oxidation
• The {110} plane of Co3O4 is more active for OER catalysis than {100}.
• In alkaline electrolytes, Co3 + is the active sites of Co3O4 for OER.

Crystalline structure and surface features of metal oxide catalyst have important influence on catalysis, however, no research work has focused on the relationship between the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic activity and plane effect of Co3O4 nanocrystals. In this work, Co3O4 nanorods and nanocubes with different dominant exposed nanocrystalline planes ({110} and {100}) were synthesized to investigate the plane effects of Co3O4 nanocrystalline on the OER activity. Results show that the surface Co3 + species of the Co3O4 crystal should be the active sites for OER catalysis.

Co3O4 nanorods with different dominantly exposed {110} planes show better OER activity than nanocubes with mainly exposed {100} planes which show the plane effects of Co3O4 nanocrystalline on the OER activity.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide