Uniformly self-decorated Co3O4 nanoparticles on N, S co-doped carbon layers derived from a camphor sulfonic acid and metal-organic framework hybrid as an oxygen evolution electrocatalystElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c8ta02926a

• Main Authors: Khalid, Mohd, Honorato, Ana M. B, Ticianelli, Edson A, Varela, Hamilton
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 26.06.2018
• ISSN: 2050-7488; 2050-7496
• DOI: 10.1039/c8ta02926a

The development of clean hydrogen-based energy technologies depends upon the rational design and synthesis of efficient and earth-abundant electrocatalysts. Despite great efforts, exploring cheap and unique design nanostructured materials for efficient electrocatalysis remains a big challenge. Here, we synthesize a porous co-doped carbon decorated with Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles from pyrolysis of a camphor sulfonic acid and metal-organic framework hybrid. The uniformly self-decorated Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles on N, S co-doped carbon layers (denoted as Co 3 O 4 /NSC) offer fast ion/electron transport and thus make the material an excellent oxygen evolution electrocatalyst. The resulting Co 3 O 4 /NSC shows an onset potential of 1.41 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode ( vs. RHE) and delivers an anodic current density of 10 mA cm −2 at 1.49 V vs. RHE, demonstrating fast kinetics for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with a small Tafel slope of 70 mV dec −1 , making it superior to many state-of-the-art cobalt oxide-based catalysts recently reported in the literature. A simple one step preparation of Co 3 O 4 nanoparticle decorated carbon from a camphor sulfonic acid and metal-organic framework hybrid.