Reversible adapting layer produces robust single-crystal electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution

Ching-Wei Tung, Ying-Ya Hsu, Yen-Ping Shen, Yixin Zheng, Ting-Shan Chan, Hwo-Shuenn Sheu, Yuan-Chung Cheng and Hao Ming Chen ()
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Ching-Wei Tung: National Taiwan University
Ying-Ya Hsu: Program for Science and Technology of Accelerator Light Source, National Chiao Tung University
Yen-Ping Shen: National Taiwan University
Yixin Zheng: National Taiwan University
Ting-Shan Chan: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center
Hwo-Shuenn Sheu: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center
Yuan-Chung Cheng: National Taiwan University
Hao Ming Chen: National Taiwan University

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Electrochemically converting water into oxygen/hydrogen gas is ideal for high-density renewable energy storage in which robust electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen evolution play crucial roles. To date, however, electrocatalysts with long-term stability have remained elusive. Here we report that single-crystal Co3O4 nanocube underlay with a thin CoO layer results in a high-performance and high-stability electrocatalyst in oxygen evolution reaction. An in situ X-ray diffraction method is developed to observe a strong correlation between the initialization of the oxygen evolution and the formation of active metal oxyhydroxide phase. The lattice of skin layer adapts to the structure of the active phase, which enables a reversible facile structural change that facilitates the chemical reactions without breaking the scaffold of the electrocatalysts. The single-crystal nanocube electrode exhibits stable, continuous oxygen evolution for >1,000 h. This robust stability is attributed to the complementary nature of defect-free single-crystal electrocatalyst and the reversible adapting layer.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9106

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