On the homogeneity of a cobalt-based water oxidation catalyst

Boer, D. den; Siberie, Q.; Siegler, M.A.; Ferber, T.H.; Moritz, D.C.; Hofmann, J.P.; Hetterscheid, D.G.H. (2022)

Article / Letter to editor

The homogeneity of molecular Co-based wateroxidation catalysts (WOCs) has been a subject of debate over thelast 10 years as assumed various homogeneous Co-based WOCswere found to actually form CoOxunder operating conditions. Thehomogeneity of the Co(HL)(HL=N,N-bis(2,2 '-bipyrid-6-yl)amine) system was investigated with cyclic voltammetry,electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. The obtained experimental results werecompared with heterogeneous CoOx. Although it is shown thatCo(HL) interacts with the electrode during electrocatalysis, theformation of CoOxwas not observed. Instead, a molecular depositof Co(HL) was found to be formed on the electrode surface. Thisstudy shows that deposition of catalytic material is not necessarilylinked to the decomposition of homogeneous cobalt-based water oxidation catalysts.

• All authors: Boer, D. den; Siberie, Q.; Siegler, M.A.; Ferber, T.H.; Moritz, D.C.; Hofmann, J.P.; Hetterscheid, D.G.H.
• Date: 2022-04-04
• Journal: ACS Catalysis
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 4597 - 4607
• DOI: doi:10.1021/acscatal.2c01299