Status : Verified
| Personal Name | Acedera, Rose Anne E. |
|---|---|
| Resource Title | Cobalt (II, III) oxide-based electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction in an alkaline anion exchange membrane water electrolyser |
| Date Issued | 15 September 2021 |
| Abstract | Water electrolysis presents numerous advantages over other technologies, such as steam reforming of natural gas, and gasification of coal, to produce clean and renewable energy in the form of high purity hydrogen gas (H2), an ideal energy carrier in place of fossil fuels. However, due to the high overpotential and slow reaction kinetics of the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), catalysts are needed to improve the efficiency of the electrolyzer system. Over the recent years, cobalt (II, III) oxide (Co3O4) has been used as an OER electrocatalyst due to its abundance, cost-effectiveness, environmental sensitivity, good stability, and comparable electrocatalytic activity to noble metal-based catalysts such as ruthenium (Ru), and iridium (Ir). Herein, spinel Co3O4-based electrocatalysts were synthesized through solution combustion and ethanol-assisted hydrothermal route. Initially, porous spinel Co3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized through solution combustion. The effects of calcination on the morphology, phase composition, and electrocatalytic behavior towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of the synthesized oxides were investigated. The as-synthesized powder prepared at stoichiometric conditions (fuel-to-oxidizer ratio, φ = 1) and pH = 3 was a mixture of spinel Co3O4 and monoclinic CoO. After calcination at 300 and 500 °C, the product was transformed to pure Co3O4. Additionally, the powders became more compact and dense. . The mixed-phase oxide exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performance in 1 M KOH with onset overpotential and Tafel slope values as low as 361 mV and 87.54 mV·dec-1, respectively. Its enhanced properties compared to the calcined samples could be ascribed to its high specific surface area, lower crystallinity, and excellent porosity. Following such findings, uncalcined samples were produced with different φ and pH values. The sample produced at φ = 0.5 and pH = 3 exhibited the best OER catalytic activity with an onset overpotential |
| Degree Course | MS Energy Engineering |
| Language | English |
| Keyword | alkaline water electrolysis; oxygen evolution reaction; Co3O4; electrocatalysis |
| Material Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Preliminary Pages
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Category : F - Regular work, i.e., it has no patentable invention or creation, the author does not wish for personal publication, there is no confidential information.
Access Permission : Open Access