Oxygen Tolerance of a Molecular Engineered Cathode for Hydrogen Evolution Based on a Cobalt Diimine-Dioxime Catalyst

We report here that a bioinspired cobalt diimine-dioxime molecular catalyst for hydrogen evolution immobilized onto carbon nanotube electrodes proves tolerant toward oxygen. The cobalt complex catalyzes O2 reduction with an onset potential of +0.55 V vs RHE. In this process, a mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide is produced in a 3:1 ratio. Our study evidences that such side-reductions have little impact on effectiveness of proton reduction by the grafted molecular catalyst which still displays good activity for H2 evolution in the presence of O2. The presence of O2 in the media is not detrimental toward H2 evolution under the conditions used, which simulate turn-on conditions of a water-splitting device.