Synthesis and characterization cobalt phosphate embedded with N doped carbon for water splitting ORR and OER

Abstract

In this study, we have fabricated the Co3(PO4)2 nanoparticles and Co3(PO4)2-NC doped in N doped carbon nanocomposite. The fabricated nanocomposite was characterized successfully using several analytical techniques. The fabricated nanocomposite was used as electrocatalyst for water splitting, the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 1.0 M KOH solution. The fabricated nanocomposite shows highly porous nature with high surface area about to 372.32 m2/g. The catalytic results show, the lower limiting overpotential during the ORR (ηlim = 0.33 V) and more positive half-wave potential activity than that of commercial platinum on carbon (Pt/C) catalyst. Moreover, the Co3(PO4)2-NC exhibit excellent catalytic activity toward OER, with an overpotential of 350 mV at 10 mAcm2 in 1.0 M KOH solution and a relatively low Tafel slope of 60.7 mV dec. In addition, the fabricated catalyst possesses excellent reusability, long term stability with fast electron transfer during the catalytic reactions. These outcomes revealed that the fabricated nanocomposites can be used as low-cost, efficient catalyst for water splitting ORR and OER in metal-air batteries and fuel cells.