A facile preparation of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles on polyaniline-functionalised carbon nanotubes as enhanced catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction. Issue 12 (2nd March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Yang; Li, Jing; Li, Feng; Li, Wenzhu; Yang, Haidong; Zhang, Xueyao; Liu, Yansheng; Ma, Jiantai
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 4:Issue 12(2016)
• Page Start: 4472
• Page End: 4478
• Publication Date: 2016-03-02
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c5ta10420c
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : A polyaniline-multiwalled carbon nanotube supported, high performance CoFe2 O4 nanoparticle loaded electrocatalyst is synthesized through a novel and simple in situ process under mild conditions. Abstract : Designing and preparing highly efficient non-precious metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is extremely urgent but still remains a challenge. In this study, a polyaniline–multiwalled carbon nanotube (PANI-MWCNT) supported, high performance CoFe2 O4 nanoparticle (NP) loaded electrocatalyst (CoFe2 O4 /PANI-MWCNTs) is synthesized through a novel and simple in situ process under mild conditions. It is found that the introduction of PANI improves the synergistic effect between the CoFe2 O4 NPs and MWCNTs, so as to promote the electrical conductivity and stability of the catalyst. Meanwhile, PANI provides more active sites to attach CoFe2 O4 NPs uniformly and tightly. Electrochemical measurement shows that the electrocatalyst displays excellent OER activities at a low overpotential of 314 mV for 10 mA cm −2 current density and a small Tafel slope of 30.69 mV dec −1 in 1 M KOH at a scan rate of 5 mV s −1 . Furthermore, this electrocatalyst exhibits remarkably good durability evaluated by continuously cycling for 1000 cycles and stably working at 0.54 V ( vs. Ag/AgCl) for at least 40 h. The achieved results confirm that the CoFe2 O4 /PANI-MWCNT hybrid is an earth-abundant and cheaply fabricated anode material for OER.