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- Title
Tuning the Electronic Bandgap: An Efficient Way To Improve the Electrocatalytic Activity of Carbon-Supported Co<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Nanocrystals for Oxygen Reduction Reactions.
- Authors
Liu, Hongcan; Long, Wujie; Song, Weiwei; Liu, Jingjun; Wang, Feng
- Abstract
The achievement of crystal-lattice tuning along low Miller index planes to decrease the bandgap of spinel transition-metal oxides may be an effective way to enhance their electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, we have prepared spherical Co3O4 nanoparticles with a preferred orientation along the (111) plane by direct nucleation and growth of the oxide on graphitized carbon black (GCB). The formation of the preferred (111) oxide is attributed to a unique chemical interaction at the interface between Co3O4 and carbon, which results in covalent C-O-Co bonds in the hybrid. Electrocatalysis experiments in an alkaline environment revealed that the electrocatalytic activity for ORR on the preferred (111) oxide increased as a function of the degree of crystal-lattice orientation, which implies a closely intrinsic correlation between the predominant (111) plane and the catalytic activity. Because Co2+ cations are enriched in this plane, they possess a narrow bandgap and unfilled conduction bands at low energy with respect to Co3+ ions in the preferred (111) Co3O4, which can contribute to the absorption and activation of active oxygen and lead to improved ORR activity
- Subjects
BAND gaps; CRYSTAL lattices; COBALT compounds; ELECTROCATALYSIS; NANOCRYSTALS; ELECTRONIC band structure; OXYGEN reduction; CARBON-black
- Publication
Chemistry - A European Journal, 2017, Vol 23, Issue 11, p2599
- ISSN
0947-6539
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/chem.201604528