Bioinspired Cobalt-Citrate Metal-Organic Framework as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts are crucial for energy conversion technologies.
• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer tunable structures for catalytic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a novel cobalt-citrate metal-organic framework (MOF), UTSA-16, as an efficient electrocatalyst for water oxidation.
• To investigate the synergistic effects contributing to the electrocatalytic activity of UTSA-16.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of cobalt-citrate metal-organic framework (UTSA-16).
• Electrocatalytic testing of UTSA-16 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline medium.
• Characterization of the material's structure and active species.

Main Results:

• UTSA-16 exhibits excellent OER activity, requiring only 408 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm^-2.
• The performance of UTSA-16 surpasses most reported MOF-based electrocatalysts and the Co₃O₄ counterpart.
• Synergistic effects from the porous structure, high-valent cobalt species, and Co₄O₄ cubane contribute to the enhanced activity.

Conclusions:

• The cobalt-citrate MOF, UTSA-16, is a highly efficient electrocatalyst for water oxidation.
• This study enhances the understanding of electroactive MOFs for water splitting applications.
• UTSA-16 presents a promising, cost-effective alternative for OER catalysis.