Interface engineering of Co3O4---SmMn2O5 nanosheets for efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalysis

doi:10.1007/s11706-021-0574-4

Front. Mater. Sci.

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (4) : 567-576 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-021-0574-4

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Interface engineering of Co₃O₄---SmMn₂O₅ nanosheets for efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalysis

Ying WANG(

), Fan LIU, Hongjie YUAN, Tianjun HU(

)

Key Laboratory of Magnetic Molecules & Magnetic Information Materials (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical and Material Science, Shanxi Normal University, Taiyuan 030006, China

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Abstract

Interface engineering is an efficient strategy to modify electronic structure and further improve electrocatalytic activity. Herein, crystalline/amorphous heterostructured Co₃O₄–SmMn₂O₅ nanosheets (Co₃O₄–SMO NSs) have been synthesized by coupling of SMO (electron acceptor) with higher Fermi-level Co₃O₄ (electron donor), via a one-step hydrothermal method followed by calcination. The resulting Co₃O₄–SMO NSs display higher half-wave potential and specific activity than those of pure SMO or Co₃O₄. In addition, Co₃O₄–SMO NSs exhibit superior stability and methanol tolerance. The crystalline/amorphous heterostructure and the electron interaction between SMO and Co₃O₄ result in interfacial charge transfer. This leads to more active valence states and more oxygen vacancies, optimizing the adsorption energy of O species and expediting electron migration, thus boosting oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic performance. This study provides a promising strategy to design efficient ORR electrocatalysts by interfacial engineering.

Keywords mullite oxide interfacial engineering work function oxygen reduction

Corresponding Author(s): Ying WANG,Tianjun HU

Online First Date: 08 November 2021 Issue Date: 28 December 2021

Cite this article:

Ying WANG,Fan LIU,Hongjie YUAN, et al. Interface engineering of Co₃O₄---SmMn₂O₅ nanosheets for efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalysis[J]. Front. Mater. Sci., 2021, 15(4): 567-576.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/10.1007/s11706-021-0574-4
https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/Y2021/V15/I4/567

Fig.1 XRD patterns of samples.

Fig.2 XPS spectra of (a) Mn 2p, (b) Co 2p and (c) O 1s for samples.

Fig.3 (a)(b) TEM and HRTEM images of Co₃O₄–SMO NSs. (c) HAADF-STEM image and the corresponding element mapping of Co₃O₄–SMO NSs.

Fig.4 (a) LSV curves of ORR for samples at 1600 r·min⁻¹. (b) E_1/2 and specific activity at 0.75 V. (c) LSV curves of Co₃O₄–SMO NSs at different rotation speeds; the inset shows the K–L plots at 0.3–0.6 V. (d) EIS Nyquist plots for different samples.

Fig.5 (a) Chronoamperometric curves of Co₃O₄–SMO NSs at 0.75 V with a rotation speed of 1600 r·min⁻¹; the inset shows the LSV curves of Co₃O₄–SMO NSs after 1000 cycles. (b) Methanol tolerance test in 0.1 mol·L⁻¹ KOH solution containing 3 mol·L⁻¹ methanol at 0.75 V.

Fig.6 Schematic illustration of the interface effect for Co₃O₄–SMO NSs.

Fig. S1(a) FTIR spectra of samples. (b) HRTEM images of Co₃O₄–SMO NSs.

Fig. S2 CV curves at different scan rates for (a) SMO, (b) Co₃O₄ and (c) Co₃O₄–SMO. (d) Dependence of the current as a function of the scan rate for different samples.

Fig. S3(a) LSV curves of SMO at different rotate speeds. (b) The corresponding K–L plots.

Fig. S4 XPS spectra of (a) Mn 2p, (b) Co 2p and (c) O 1s for different samples. (d) Molar ratios of Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺, Co³⁺/Co²⁺ and O3/O1 for different samples.

Fig. S5(a) LSV curves of ORR for samples at 1600 r·min⁻¹. (b) Comparison of E_1/2 for different samples.

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