3D Flower-like Zn substituted CuCo2O4 spinel catalyst for electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction

3D -flower structured ZnxCu1-xCo2O4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) supported on nickel foam was successfully syn-thesized by a simple hydrothermal method. Zn2+ ions substituting A-site cations in the spinel structure can increase the cation vacancies, leading to an increase in the electrochemical active surface area at the interface between the anode and the electrolyte, and an improvement in the reaction kinetics. The prepared flower -structured Zn0.1Cu0.9Co2O4 shows greater electrochemical performances in OER with an electrochemically active surface area of similar to 150 cm2, electrical double layer capacitances of 5.41 mF cm-2 and current density of 50 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 416 mV, and provides a high Faradaic efficiency of 94 % for O2 produc-tion. Therefore, the proposed Zn0.1Cu0.9Co2O4 catalyst is a potential candidate for a sustainable oxygen evolu-tion process.

Automated summary

3D-flower structured ZnxCu1-xCo2O4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) supported on nickel foam was successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method. The prepared Zn0.1Cu0.9Co2O4 catalyst shows superior electrochemical performances in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with larger electrochemically active surface area, higher electrical double layer capacitance, and higher Faradaic efficiency.