Synergistic Interactions Among Iron and Cobalt Atoms Within Bimetallic Molybdate@Carbon Paper Composite Create Bifunctional Nanoflower Electrocatalyst, Enhancing Efficiency for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline Environment

Electrocatalytic water splitting is a promising approach for obtaining clean hydrogen energy. In this work, novel molybdate@carbon paper composite electrocatalysts (CoxFe10-xMoO@CP), displaying outstanding electrocatalytic capabilities, were deriving from anchoring cobalt/iron molybdate materials on...

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Main Authors: Ting Cheng, Fei Wu, Chen Chen, Xiao Zhang, Mengyi Zhang, Liwei Cui, Youzhi Dai, Baoxuan Hou, Yuan Tian, Jiarui Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/844
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author Ting Cheng
Fei Wu
Chen Chen
Xiao Zhang
Mengyi Zhang
Liwei Cui
Youzhi Dai
Baoxuan Hou
Yuan Tian
Jiarui Zhu
author_facet Ting Cheng
Fei Wu
Chen Chen
Xiao Zhang
Mengyi Zhang
Liwei Cui
Youzhi Dai
Baoxuan Hou
Yuan Tian
Jiarui Zhu
author_sort Ting Cheng
collection DOAJ
description Electrocatalytic water splitting is a promising approach for obtaining clean hydrogen energy. In this work, novel molybdate@carbon paper composite electrocatalysts (CoxFe10-xMoO@CP), displaying outstanding electrocatalytic capabilities, were deriving from anchoring cobalt/iron molybdate materials onto the surface of carbon paper fibers. By adjusting the cobalt-to-iron ratio, the composite (Co5Fe5MoO@CP), with the optimal molar proportion (Co/Fe = 5/5), exhibited a distinctive nanoflower morphology (50–100 nm), which provided a significant number of active sites for electrocatalytic reactions, and showed the strongest electrocatalytic potency for both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Specifically, the overpotentials for HER and OER were 123.6 and 245 mV at 10 mA·cm<sup>−2</sup>, with a Tafel slope of 78.3 and 92.2 mV·dec<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. The hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions remained favorable and stable over 35 days and 2 weeks of cyclic voltammetry cycles. In a two-electrode system, efficient overall water splitting was achieved at a cell voltage of 1.60 V. Under high alkaline concentration and temperature conditions, the Co5Fe5MoO@CP composite still maintained excellent HER and OER catalytic activity and stability, indicating its satisfactory potential for industrial applications. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis revealed that the promoted hydrogen evolution capability derived from the synergistic catalytic effect of iron and cobalt atoms within the molecule, while cobalt atoms functioned as the catalytic core for the oxygen evolution process. This work provides a novel strategy towards high-efficiency electrocatalysts to significantly accelerate the overall water splitting.
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spelling doaj-art-5990a7dbf4544c2cb20bc9a8a8ae20572025-08-20T03:12:09ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-02-0130484410.3390/molecules30040844Synergistic Interactions Among Iron and Cobalt Atoms Within Bimetallic Molybdate@Carbon Paper Composite Create Bifunctional Nanoflower Electrocatalyst, Enhancing Efficiency for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline EnvironmentTing Cheng0Fei Wu1Chen Chen2Xiao Zhang3Mengyi Zhang4Liwei Cui5Youzhi Dai6Baoxuan Hou7Yuan Tian8Jiarui Zhu9School of Environmental Ecology, The City Vocational College of Jiangsu, Nanjing 210017, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaSchool of Environmental Ecology, The City Vocational College of Jiangsu, Nanjing 210017, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaCollege of Environment and Resource, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaSchool of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, ChinaElectrocatalytic water splitting is a promising approach for obtaining clean hydrogen energy. In this work, novel molybdate@carbon paper composite electrocatalysts (CoxFe10-xMoO@CP), displaying outstanding electrocatalytic capabilities, were deriving from anchoring cobalt/iron molybdate materials onto the surface of carbon paper fibers. By adjusting the cobalt-to-iron ratio, the composite (Co5Fe5MoO@CP), with the optimal molar proportion (Co/Fe = 5/5), exhibited a distinctive nanoflower morphology (50–100 nm), which provided a significant number of active sites for electrocatalytic reactions, and showed the strongest electrocatalytic potency for both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Specifically, the overpotentials for HER and OER were 123.6 and 245 mV at 10 mA·cm<sup>−2</sup>, with a Tafel slope of 78.3 and 92.2 mV·dec<sup>−1</sup>, respectively. The hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions remained favorable and stable over 35 days and 2 weeks of cyclic voltammetry cycles. In a two-electrode system, efficient overall water splitting was achieved at a cell voltage of 1.60 V. Under high alkaline concentration and temperature conditions, the Co5Fe5MoO@CP composite still maintained excellent HER and OER catalytic activity and stability, indicating its satisfactory potential for industrial applications. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis revealed that the promoted hydrogen evolution capability derived from the synergistic catalytic effect of iron and cobalt atoms within the molecule, while cobalt atoms functioned as the catalytic core for the oxygen evolution process. This work provides a novel strategy towards high-efficiency electrocatalysts to significantly accelerate the overall water splitting.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/844HEROERoverall water splittingmolybdatecobaltiron
spellingShingle Ting Cheng
Fei Wu
Chen Chen
Xiao Zhang
Mengyi Zhang
Liwei Cui
Youzhi Dai
Baoxuan Hou
Yuan Tian
Jiarui Zhu
Synergistic Interactions Among Iron and Cobalt Atoms Within Bimetallic Molybdate@Carbon Paper Composite Create Bifunctional Nanoflower Electrocatalyst, Enhancing Efficiency for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline Environment
Molecules
HER
OER
overall water splitting
molybdate
cobalt
iron
title Synergistic Interactions Among Iron and Cobalt Atoms Within Bimetallic Molybdate@Carbon Paper Composite Create Bifunctional Nanoflower Electrocatalyst, Enhancing Efficiency for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline Environment
title_full Synergistic Interactions Among Iron and Cobalt Atoms Within Bimetallic Molybdate@Carbon Paper Composite Create Bifunctional Nanoflower Electrocatalyst, Enhancing Efficiency for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline Environment
title_fullStr Synergistic Interactions Among Iron and Cobalt Atoms Within Bimetallic Molybdate@Carbon Paper Composite Create Bifunctional Nanoflower Electrocatalyst, Enhancing Efficiency for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline Environment
title_full_unstemmed Synergistic Interactions Among Iron and Cobalt Atoms Within Bimetallic Molybdate@Carbon Paper Composite Create Bifunctional Nanoflower Electrocatalyst, Enhancing Efficiency for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline Environment
title_short Synergistic Interactions Among Iron and Cobalt Atoms Within Bimetallic Molybdate@Carbon Paper Composite Create Bifunctional Nanoflower Electrocatalyst, Enhancing Efficiency for Overall Water Splitting in Alkaline Environment
title_sort synergistic interactions among iron and cobalt atoms within bimetallic molybdate carbon paper composite create bifunctional nanoflower electrocatalyst enhancing efficiency for overall water splitting in alkaline environment
topic HER
OER
overall water splitting
molybdate
cobalt
iron
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/844
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