Aldehyde reduced Co3O4 to form oxygen vacancy and enhance the electrochemical performance for oxygen evolution reaction and supercapacitors

External Electric Field-Induced the Modulation of the Band Gap and Quantum Capacitance of F-Functionalized Two-Dimensional Sc2C

The modulation of electronic properties and quantum capacitance of Sc2CF2 under a perpendicular external E-field was investigated using density functional calculations for the potential application of nanoelectronics and nanophotonics. Sc2CF2 has an indirect band gap of 0.959 eV without an E-field. Furthermore, it undergoes a semiconducting-metallic transition under a positive E-field and a semiconductor-insulator transition under a negative E-field. The application of the negative E-field makes Sc2CF2 have an indirect band gap. Sc-d, F-p, and C-p states are mainly responsible for the significant variation of the band gap. Sc2CF2 under an external E-field always keeps the character of a cathode material under the whole potential. Especially, Sc2CF2 under a negative external E-field is more suitable for the cathode material due to its much smaller |Qp|/|Qn| with much higher Qn. The charge analysis is further performed.

Overview of the oxygen vacancy effect in bimetallic spinel and perovskite oxide electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors

Bimetallic spinel and perovskite metal oxide materials are advanced electrode materials for supercapacitor (SC) applications because of their low-cost, distinct crystal structures, eco-friendly nature, and high conductivity. However, they suffer from the disadvantages of poor ion-diffusion kinetics and pulverization issues during cyclability tests. Along with a deeper understanding of redox chemistry, the role of oxygen vacancies (OVs) in electrode materials to support the reaction kinetics for excellence in SCs must be clarified. In this review, we highlight for the first time the importance of OVs and summarize various design strategies for the preparation of advanced bimetallic spinel oxides and perovskites with improved electrochemical performances for SC applications. With new insights, we envision that the SC research community would endeavor to utilize the benefits of OVs effectively for the development of high-performance SCs.

Co2P decorated Co3O4 nanocomposites supported on carbon cloth with enhanced electrochemical performance for asymmetric supercapacitors

An effective strategy is demonstrated to promote electrochemical performance by the combination of Co3O4 with Co2P to form a composite electrode.

Atmosphere-sensitive photoluminescence of Co x Fe3-x O4 metal oxide nanoparticles

In this work the photoluminescence (PL) of Co _x Fe_3-x O₄ spinel oxide nanoparticles under pulsed UV laser irradiation (λ _exc = 270 nm) is investigated for varying Co/Fe ratios (x = 0.4_⋯2.5). A broad emission in the green spectral range is observed, exhibiting two maxima at around 506 nm, which is dominant for Fe-rich nanoparticles (x = 0.4, 0.9), and at around 530 nm, that is more pronounced for Co-rich nanoparticles (x > 1.6). As examinations in different atmospheres show that the observed emission reacts sensitively to the presence of water, it is proposed that the emission is mainly caused by OH groups with terminal or bridging metal-O bonds on the Co _x Fe_3-x O₄ surface. Raman spectroscopy supports that the emission maximum at 506 nm corresponds to terminal OH groups bound to metal cations on tetrahedral sites (i.e., Fe³⁺), while the maximum around 530 nm corresponds to terminal OH groups bound to metal cations on octahedral sites (i.e., Co³⁺). Photoinduced dehydroxylation shows that OH groups can be removed on Fe-rich nanoparticles more easily, leading to a conversion process and the formation of new OH groups with different bonds to the surface. As such behavior is not observed for Co _x Fe_3-x O₄ with x > 1.6, we conclude that the OH groups are more stable against dehydroxylation on Co-rich nanoparticles. The higher OH stability is expected to lead to a higher catalytic activity of Co-rich cobalt ferrites in the electrochemical generation of oxygen.

Cobalt coordination controlled carbon nanospheres formation and inclusion of amorphous Co3O4 and AuNPs: strongly enhanced oxygen evolution reaction with excellent mass activity

Carbon nanospheres integrated with AuNPs and amorphous Co3O4 were fabricated by making use of cobalt coordination with AuNP surface ligands, which exhibited an enhanced oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with excellent mass activity. Co2+ coordination with AuNP surface functional molecules significantly influenced the nanostructure formation and OER activity. Nanospheres of carbon with an optimum concentration of AuNPs and Co3O4 (2) showed strong OER activity. 2 exhibited a high current density (358 mA cm-2 at an applied potential of 1.59 V) and required a low overpotential (256 mV) to generate a geometric current density (10 mA cm-2) compared to commercial RuO2 (363 mV). Importantly, 2 showed high mass activity (1352.5 mA mg-1), 14 times higher than RuO2 (93.87 mA mg-1). The low Tafel slope (52.4 mV dec-1) and charge transfer resistance along with large double layer capacitance (Cdl = 20.1) of 2 suggest strong electronic communication between the catalyst and the electrode surface and facilitated fast charge transport. Chronoamperometric studies confirmed the excellent stability of the catalyst. The present work demonstrates that the electrocatalytic activity of earth-abundant amorphous metal oxides can be strongly enhanced by integrating metallic nanoparticles (NPs) and optimizing nanostructures.

The thermodynamics and electronic structure analysis of P-doped spinel Co3O4

The thermodynamics of phosphorus (P) doping to spinel Co₃O₄, for both bulk cases and (100) and (110) surface cases, is studied using first principles calculations. The doping energies of the P atom at different doping sites are carefully calculated and compared. It is shown that P doping at Co sites, at either tetrahedral or octahedral sites, is energetically favorable, while P doping and replacing O atoms are energetically unfavorable. The doping energy difference is large enough to conclude that P doping has a very strong preference to take the Co sites, rather than the O sites in spinel Co₃O₄. Even when O-vacancy is available, P doping and taking the O-vacancy site is thermodynamically unfavorable. The physical/chemical mechanism behind this phenomenon is carefully analyzed. Electronic structure analysis shows that P doping and replacing the Co atom brings excess electrons to the Co₃O₄ system, which is beneficial to enhance the electrochemical and catalytic performance of the spinel Co₃O₄. Our results clarified the misleading results of P doping and replacing O atoms in spinel Co₃O₄ reported in the literature.

Comparison of the effects of cation and phosphorus doping in cobalt-based spinel oxides towards the oxygen evolution reaction

Phosphorus incorporation further boosted the OER activity of cation-doped Co-based spinel oxides via remarkably tuning the oxygen vacancies, crystallinity and electrochemically active surface area on the surface.

Ultrafine Co3O4 nanolayer-shelled CoWP nanowire array: a bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

The development of bifunctional electrocatalysts based on highly efficient non-noble metals is pivotal for overall water splitting. Here, a composite electrode of Co₃O₄@CoWP is synthesized, where an ultrathin layer composed of Co₃O₄ nanoparticles is grown on CoWP nanowires supported on a carbon cloth (CC). The Co₃O₄@CoWP/CC electrode exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity and improved kinetics towards both the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER and HER). The Co₃O₄@CoWP/CC electrode achieves a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² at a low overpotential of 269 mV for the OER and −10 mA cm⁻² at 118 mV for the HER in 1.0 M KOH solution. The voltage applied to a two-electrode water electrolyzer for overall water splitting, while employing the Co₃O₄@CoWP/CC electrode as both an anode and a cathode, in order to reach a current density of 10 mA cm⁻², is 1.61 V, which is better than that for the majority of reported non-noble electrocatalysts. Moreover, the Co₃O₄@CoWP/CC electrode exhibits good stability over 24 h with slight attenuation. The electrode benefits from the enhanced adsorption of oxygen intermediates on Co₃O₄ during the OER, the increased ability for water dissociation and the optimized H adsorption/desorption ability of CoWP nanowires during the HER. This study provides a feasible approach for cost-effective and high-performance non-noble metal bifunctional catalysts for overall water electrolysis.

A hierarchical 3D self-supporting CoWP nanowire array shelled with an ultrathin Co₃O₄ nanolayer on carbon cloth (Co₃O₄@CoWP/CC) exhibits superior overall water electrolysis capability.