Plasma-modified graphitic C₃N₄@Cobalt hydroxide nanowires as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Efficient electrocatalysts are crucial for electrocatalytic water splitting, particularly for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).
• Developing low-cost, high-performance catalysts remains a significant challenge in this field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel g-C3N4@Co(OH)2 nanowire materials modified by plasma treatment for enhanced OER performance.
• To investigate the effect of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma modification duration on catalyst morphology and electrochemical activity.

Main Methods:

• Combined thermo-hydraulic and DBD plasma modification strategy to prepare g-C3N4@Co(OH)2 + PA/X nanowire catalysts.
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) for morphological characterization.
• Electrochemical testing in alkaline media to evaluate OER performance, including overpotential and durability.

Main Results:

• The g-C3N4@Co(OH)2 catalyst subjected to 60-second plasma treatment (g-C3N4@Co(OH)2 + PA/60s) exhibited outstanding electrochemical performance.
• The optimized catalyst displayed a low overpotential of 329 mV for OER.
• The enhanced activity is attributed to an increased number of Co3+ active sites, improved conductivity, and a larger surface area.

Conclusions:

• Plasma modification is an effective strategy for enhancing the electrocatalytic activity and durability of g-C3N4@Co(OH)2-based materials for OER.
• The g-C3N4@Co(OH)2 + PA/60s catalyst represents a promising low-cost electrocatalyst for efficient water splitting.
• This research provides a novel pathway for the rational design of advanced electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications.