Highly efficient CoFe2O4 electrocatalysts prepared facilely by metal-organic decomposition process for the oxygen evolution reaction

The novel solution route based on metal-organic decomposition (MOD) process is successfully developed for a facile preparation of CoFe2O4. The electrocatalytic activity of CoFe2O4 for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of electrochemical water splitting is investigated as a function of calcination temperature in the range between 300 and 450 degrees C. It is significantly found that a drastic cation redistribution in octahe-dral and tetrahedral sites within the spinel structure of 450 degrees C-calcinated CoFe2O4 p-type semiconductor leads to the dramatic enhancement in hole density and concomitant OER activity. The CoFe2O4 integrated on carbon fiber paper (CFP) exhibits high electrocatalytic performance, including an overpotential (eta(10)) of 359 mV at10 mA cm(-2) and a Tafel slope of 53.8 mV dec(-1) in 1 M KOH aqueous solution. Based on this work, a design principle of the MOD solution process developed can be applied to preparation of a greater variety of compounds. Also, elucidation of structure-OER activity relationships in spinel-type CoFe2O4 electrocatalysts will be able to advance further. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A novel solution route based on metal-organic decomposition (MOD) process was developed for facile preparation of CoFe2O4, showing significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) after calcination at 450 degrees C. CoFe2O4 integrated on carbon fiber paper (CFP) exhibited high electrocatalytic performance. The design principle of the MOD solution process could be applied to prepare a greater variety of compounds, and elucidation of structure-OER activity relationships in spinel-type CoFe2O4 electrocatalysts will advance further research in this field.