Enhancement of photoelectrocatalytic performance of copper cobaltate nanoflowers modified with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxylphenyl)porphyrin for methanol oxidation under light

With the continuously increasing global energy demand, there is an urgent requirement to find efficient methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) catalysts that can replace precious metals. In this work, we have elaborately integrated 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (H2TCPP) with copper cobaltate (CuCo2O4), which possesses efficient separation of photogenerated charges and increased active sites. The mass activity of H2TCPP/CuCo2O4 (534.75 mA mg(-1)) toward MOR is higher than that of pure CuCo2O4 (291.75 mA mg(-1)) under light. In addition, H2TCPP/CuCo2O4 can catalyze the oxidation of other alcohols, such as ethanol, ethanediol, isopropanol, and glycerol. This study demonstrates that it is feasible to enhance the MOR activity by the modification of bimetallic transition metal oxides with porphyrins.

Automated summary

In this study, the integration of H2TCPP with CuCo2O4 resulted in a catalyst with efficient charge separation and increased active sites. The mass activity of H2TCPP/CuCo2O4 for MOR was higher than that of pure CuCo2O4. Furthermore, H2TCPP/CuCo2O4 also exhibited catalytic activity for the oxidation of other alcohols. This research demonstrates the potential of enhancing MOR activity through modification of bimetallic transition metal oxides with porphyrins.