Electrochemical Water Oxidation with Cobalt-Based Electrocatalysts from pH 0–14: The Thermodynamic Basis for Catalyst Structure, Stability, and Activity

Building upon recent study of cobalt-oxide electrocatalysts in fluoride-buffered electrolyte at pH 3.4, we have undertaken a mechanistic investigation of cobalt-catalyzed water oxidation in aqueous buffering electrolytes from pH 0-14. This work includes electrokinetic studies, cyclic voltammetric analysis, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies. The results illuminate a set of interrelated mechanisms for electrochemical water oxidation in alkaline, neutral, and acidic media with electrodeposited Co-oxide catalyst films (CoO(x)(cf)s) as well as for a homogeneous Co-catalyzed electrochemical water oxidation reaction. Analysis of the pH dependence of quasi-reversible features in cyclic…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: CHE-0802907, 9629688, 0802907, 8813550, CHE-9629688
• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy
• CI
  California Institute of Technology
• NI
  National Institutes of Health
• DO
  Division of Chemistry

  Award: CHE-0802907