A Doping-Induced SrCo_0.4Fe_0.6O₃/CoFe₂O₄ Nanocomposite for Efficient Oxygen Evolution in Alkaline Media

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Perovskite and spinel oxides are cost-effective alternatives to noble metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER).
• Developing efficient and stable electrocatalysts is crucial for advancing clean energy technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel perovskite/spinel nanocomposite (SCF/CF) for enhanced OER activity.
• To investigate the structural and catalytic properties of the SCF/CF nanocomposite.

Main Methods:

• A simple one-step synthesis method was employed to create the SrCo0.4Fe0.6O3/CoFe2O4 (SCF/CF) nanocomposite.
• Electrochemical performance was evaluated in alkaline media.
• Surface states and OER microkinetic volcano model were used for analysis.

Main Results:

• The SCF/CF nanocomposite exhibited excellent OER activity with a low overpotential of 294 mV at 10 mA cm-2.
• The perovskite phase remained stable, while the spinel phase achieved optimal 5/8 monolayer O* coverage.
• Surface analysis revealed the spinel CF phase with 5/8 ML O* coverage as the origin of the high activity.

Conclusions:

• The novel SCF/CF nanocomposite demonstrates significant potential as an efficient electrocatalyst for OER.
• The findings provide insights into catalyst design for improved electrocatalytic performance.
• This work can accelerate the commercialization of electrocatalytic technologies for clean energy.